Effect of Microbial Consortia Inoculation and Chemical Fertilizers on Growth Parameter and Nodulation of Soybean (Glycine max L. merill.) and Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

Microbial consortia inoculation and chemical fertilizers significantly impact plant growth parameters. Microbial consortia contribute to soil health by enhancing nutrient availability and promoting plant growth, while chemical fertilizers provide essential nutrients. In this study, an Field Experiment was conducted during two successive years in Kharif and Rabi 2020-21 and 2021-22 consecutively on effect of microbial consortia inoculation and chemical fertilizers on productivity and soil properties in soybean chickpea sequence on vertisol at research farm of department soil science and agricultural chemistry Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani (MAH) India. The Soil of experimental site was classified as vertisol (Typic Haplustert) dominant montmorillonite type with kaollinite and illite mineral alkaline in reaction. Experimental treatments consist of four levels of laboratory evaluated microbial cultures (Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas striata, Thiobacillus thioxidant) and uninoculated control and four levels of  chemical fertilizers (100 % RDF, 75 % RDF, 50 % RDF and Control i.e. (without fertilizers)). Seed treatment of soybean and chickpea was done with microbial consortia immediate before sowing and chemical fertilizers were applied at the time of sowing as per treatments. The results revealed that the application of microbial inoculants with chemical fertilizers showed significant effect on biometric attributes and nodulation of soybean and chickpea. The microbial consortia Rhizobium spp.+ Pseudomonas striata inoculation has highest plant height, shoot weight, root length, number of nodule, fresh weight of nodules, and dry weight of noduels in both crops as compared to uninoculated control. However, the application of chemical fertilizer i.e. N,P and K 100% RDF obviously increased the height, shoot weight, number of nodulation, and fresh weight of nodules in respect of both soybean and chickpea crops. The chemical fetilizers N,P and K are applied in the form of Urea, single super phosphate and muriate of potash respectively.