The objective of the study was to find out the effect of soil borne bacteria on the germination of different plant seeds, soaking time on seed germination and to recommend the best germination inducer bacteria. Six different soil borne bacterial species such as Pseudomonas sp, Bacillus coagulans, Serratia sp, Klebsiella sp, Bacillus sp and Escherichia coli and four crop seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris, Vigna sinensis, Hibiscus esculentus and Beta vulgaris were used. Surface sterilized seeds were soaked in different bacterial inocula prepared with phosphate buffer (pH-7) and allowed to colonize. After ten minutes of soaking, equal number of seeds were randomly transferred into sterile petridishes containing sterile moisten filter papers and the plates were kept in the dark for five days and subsequently subjected to light condition for another five days, at room temperature. The germination of seed and other related attributes were measured. There was a significant difference in the mean length of germ tubes (p = 0.05) of soaked seeds when compared with non infected control. Germination of H. esculentus, P. vulgaris and V. sinensis seeds were promoted by Pseudomonas sp and B. Coagulans. Germination of H. esculentus and P. vulgaris seeds could be promoted in an optimised manner by soaking with in Pseudomonas for 10 minutes and 20 minutes, respectively where as seeds of V. sinensis could be promoted by soaking with in Bacillus sp inocula for 20 minutes. Serratia sp, Klebsiella sp, B. coagulans and E.coli had no effect on seed germination.
