Effect of seed biopriming with indigenous PGPR, Rhizobia and Trichoderma sp. on growth, seed yield and incidence of diseases in French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

The effect of seed biopriming with different bioagents including plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR-1), rhizobial biofertilizer (Rhizobium strain B1) and biological control agent (Trichoderma viride) was observed on plant growth, seed yield and incidence of diseases in French bean cv. Contender conducting a field experiment during kharif season in the year 2017 and 2018. Under field conditions in both the years, field emergence (95.18 %), plant height at 30 days after sowing (34.09 cm), plant height at final harvest (56.99 cm), days to pod harvest (52.33), harvest duration (18.67), pod length at final harvest (16.83 cm), number of pods per plant (20.17), dry pod weight (2.72 g), pod yield per plant (38.64 g), number of seeds per pod (7.17), seed yield per plant (20.76 g), seed yield per plot (875.33 g), seed yield per hectare (23.34 q), 100 seed weight (34.19 g), quality of harvested seeds were recorded significantly higher after seed biopriming with PGPR-1+ Rhizobium strain B1 (T4) as compared to carbendazim seed treatment and untreated control. This treatment combination also reduced the incidence of major diseases like, Rhizoctonia root rot and Angular leaf spot significantly as compared to carbendazim seed treatments and untreated control. It can be concluded from the present investigation that seed biopriming of French bean cv. Contender with PGPR-1+Rhizobium strain B1 @ 109cfu/ml for 8 hours was an effective treatment which significantly improved plant growth, pod yield, seed yield, seed quality and seed vigour and reduced disease incidence as compared to seed treatment with carbendazim @ 0.2% as well as untreated control under field conditions.