Effect of dual inoculation of va mycorrhiza and azotobacter chroococcum on above flag leaf characters in wheat

Abstract

A field experiment in randomized block design with three replication was conducted over two years to evaluate the effect of wheat cultivar and dual inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum ( Azc ) and arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF, Glomus fasciculatum ) on physiological characters and grain and biological yield in three crosses of wheat. The experimental material comprised four wheat parents; WH 147, WH 157, WH 542, PBW 175 and their three F 1 crosses; WH 147 2 WH 157, WH 147 2 WH 542 and WH 147 2 PBW 175. Comparative evaluation of treatment means viz. control (mineral nutrient 60 kg N + 30 kg P 2 O 5 + 12.5 kg ZnSO 4 ha m 1 common in other two treatments also), AMF and AMF + Azc revealed that inoculation of AMF and AMF + Azc led to increase in peduncle length, flag leaf area, number of grains spike m 1 , 250 grain weight, grain and biological yield m 1 plant. Various wheat varieties and crosses showed different response to inoculation with AMF and AMF + Azc . Among parents maximum response to inoculation with AMF + Azc was evident for peduncle length in WH 157 (19.2 cm), flag leaf area in WH 147 (953.3 cm 2 ), number of grains spike m 1 in WH 542 (63.2), 250 grain weight in PBW 175 (43 g), grain yield in WH 147 (30.3 g) and biological yield in WH 147 (66.5 g). In cross combinations also these parents contributed towards higher magnitude for these traits. Varietal response was found to be heritable. Co-inoculation of AMF with Azc led to increase in viable count of Azotobacter in wheat rhizosphere. AMF and Azotobacter compliment each other and result in improved plant growth.