Abstract
Soil degradation and poor fertility are major concerns in semi-arid regions of India. Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) have demonstrated potential in mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses in these areas. However, the studies on the impact of EPS on crop performance and soil fertility under natural field conditions remain limited. To address this knowledge gap, a field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 2019-20 and 2020-21 at ICAR-NIASM, Baramati, Maharashtra, to examine the effects of microbial EPS on average crop yields of soybean and maize, microbial colonization status in soybean and maize, and soil fertility parameters in basaltic soils of India. Seeds inoculated with Rhizobium or nitrogen fixers and 10 kg ha-1 EPS resulted in a significant increase in soybean and maize yields by 57.7% and 44.8%, respectively, compared to the control. Additionally, the Rhizobium treated seeds with EPS 10 kg ha-1 showed improvements in soil organic carbon, dehydrogenase activity, and nitrogen content by 15.5%, 214.5%, and 70.0%, respectively, in soybean compared to the control. Conversely, the application of microbial EPS did not cause any significant change in soil pH, E.C., or available P, K, Fe, Mn, and Zn contents in both crops. While the presence of EPS within the rhizosphere of soybean actively promoted nodule formation, it also enhanced microbial colonization within the rhizosphere of both soybean and maize. Moreover, the best subset regression analysis revealed that EPS altered the soil parameters for the yield of both crops. The findings of this study suggest that EPS treatment, in combination with Rhizobium or nitrogen fixers, can significantly enhance crop yield, promote nodule formation in soybean, and improve microbial colonization within the rhizosphere of both soybean and maize. These results highlight the potential of microbial EPS as a viable and sustainable solution to address soil degradation and poor fertility in semi-arid regions of India.
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