Not AvailableIn the present investigation, five strains of Janthinobacterium obtained from Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh, India along
with one strain of Bacillus decolorationis (IARI-SL-13) were screened qualitatively and quantitatively for their ability to
solubilize K at different temperatures ranging from 5 to 30 °C. All the selected strains do not produce violet colonies, instead
produced pink or red coloured colonies. In a plate assay, among all the strains tested, Janthinobacterium sp. IARI-R-81 was
most efficient in solubilization of K at lower temperatures of 5 and 10 °C and was closely followed by Janthinobacterium lividum
(IARI-R-71). Janthinobacterium sp. IARI-R-70 did not produce any detectable halo zones at all temperatures except 10
and 25 °C. Quantitative analysis revealed that all the selected pigment-producing strains could solubilize potassium-bearing
mineral at low temperature (5 °C). J. lividum IARI-R-50 strain was most efficient in solubilizing K (29.87 ± 1.22 μg K/mL)
from its mineral at 5 °C. This strain was typical as it solubilized almost the same amount of K both at 5 and 30 °C indicating
its capability to adapt to different temperatures. All other strains showed a significantly higher concentration of solubilized
K at 30 °C as compared to other temperatures tested. The non-pigmented B. decolorationis showed solubilization only at 25
and 30 °C and the concentration of K solubilized at 30 °C was significantly higher than at 25 °C. There was no correlation
between pigment production and solubilization of potassium. This is the first report depicting solubilization trait of members
of genus Janthinobacterium and confirms its evolutionary relatedness to Collimonads.Not Availabl