Impact Assessment of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Maize (Zea mays)
Impact Assessment of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Maize (Zea mays)
Attique Ahmed1, Tariq Sultan1, Ghulam Qadir2, Obaid Afzal2*, Mukhtar Ahmed5, Shamim-Ul-Sibtain Shah3, Muhammad Asif4, Safdar Ali2 and Muhammad Zeeshan Mehmood2
ABSTRACT
Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) promote crop growth and seed yield. However, in farm management practices genotype and environmental conditions may also affect the growth and nutrient uptake. PGPR and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in combination with synthetic fertilizers can enhance crop productivity and soil fertility. Present experiment aimed to investigate the effect of PGPR and PSB inoculation with T1 Control (Recommended NP), T2 (PGPR-1 + PSB + ¾ N + ¾ P),T3 (PGPR-2 +PSB +¾ N + ¾ P), T4 (PGPR-3 + PSB + ¾ N + ¾ P), T5 (PGPR-4 + PSB + ¾ N + ¾ P), T6 (PGPR-5 + PSB + ¾ N + ¾ P), T7 (PGPR-1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + PSB + ¾ N + ¾ P).The inoculation of PGPR + PSB at 75% (T5 and T7) significantly increased chlorophyll content, no. of leaves, plant height, ear leaf area, ear inter nodes girth, flag leaf area over T1 in pot experiment. Similarly, the inoculation of PGPR + PSB with T2 and in combination with T1 also at 75% of recommended NP significantly increased chlorophyll content, no. of leaves, plant height, ear leaf area, ear inter nodes girth, flag leaf area over control in the field experiment. Inclusion of PGPR and PSB significantly increase grain and straw P contents as well as positively enhance soil nitrogen and phosphorus compared to T1 treatment. Present results implied that PGPR and PSB inoculation is a plausible strategy for increasing the nutrient availability to maize, and therefore an important tool to increase maize production under prevailing conditions.
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