COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF RHIZOBACTERIA AND HORMONE ON TRECULIA AFRICANA (DECNE) CUTTINGS

Abstract

Treculia africana, a leguminous crop of the family Moraceace is widely grown and eaten in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. It serves economic, pharmaceutical and medicinal purposes. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are Plant rhizospheric bacteria which improves plant growth and yield via their various plant growth promoting substances. This study aimed at introducing PGPR (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) as biostimulant during vegetative propagation. Cuttings of T. 8 africana were inoculated using quick dip method, with 10 cfu/ml of PGPR namely: Pseudomonas fluorescens, Rhizobium larrymoorei, Streptomyces fumanus and Pseudomonas cissicola isolated 2 from rhizosphere of fruit trees using Pour Plate Method with serial dilution 10 on various selective medium. Growth parameters were taken after seven weeks under the humid propagator analysed using ANOVAfollowed by Duncan Multiple Range Test. The PGPR effects were then compared with hormone treated seedlings of T. africana. Results showed that, number of root initiated was significantly increased (P<0.05) by Streptomyces fumanus (13.00), followed by Rhizobium larrymoorei (10.75) (reduce to two decimals). The best hormone treatment on cutting roots was IBA 200 mg/l (9.25) while the control was 1.75. Number of shoot initiated was also significantly increased (P<0.05) by Streptomyces fumanus (6.75) followed by Rhizobium larrymoorei (5.00). The best hormone treatment on shoot was IBA200 mg/l (3.00), while the control was 0.75. Also, PGPR treated cuttings were ready for pricking after the 7th week against the prevailing standard of 9 weeks. The aforementioned PGPR should be considered as an alternative to synthetic hormones because their applications served as phytostimulant during the initiation of root and shoot of T. africana's cuttings.