Abstract
ABSTRACT Chickpea growth and yield are related to the balanced supply of N. In weathered soils, this factor depends on the biological activity of growth-promoting bacteria, the presence of diazotrophic bacteria, and the management of nitrogen fertilization. In this regard, this study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of inoculation with a mix of Bacillus spp. and N levels on chickpea cultivation. Two experiments were carried out: area 01, characterized by shortest cultivation time and area 02, with the longest cultivation time. For both studies, the experimental design was in randomized blocks with four replications arranged in a 2 x 6 factorial consisting of the absence or presence of the mix of Bacillus spp. (1 x 107 CFU per mL) from root isolates and six N levels: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 kg ha-1. The chickpea production and yield characteristics were evaluated. In the area 01, inoculation with the mix of Bacillus spp. did not interfere with grain yield, whereas the application of lower N levels (25 kg ha-1) increased the dry mass of branches, grains, total dry mass, and yield (4.17 t ha-1). In contrast, in the area 02, nitrogen fertilization increased the chlorophyll index but did not interfere with the remaining production variables, whereas inoculation with Bacillus spp. increased chickpea yield by 4%, resulting in a grain harvest of 4.16 t ha-1. Therefore, inoculation of chickpea seeds with the mix of Bacillus spp. is recommended in soils with long-time cultivation of agricultural species.
Highlights
Chickpea is the third most cultivated legume worldwide, with 17.19 million tons produced in 2018 and a mean yield of 965 kg ha-1 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO - FAOSTAT, 2020)
High chickpea yields depend on a balanced nitrogen supply (N) and the presence of growth-promoting bacteria
Plant inoculation with growth-promoting bacteria such as those of the genus Bacillus favors the synthesis of phytohormones such as IAA (Mondal et al, 2019) and the secretion of exopolysaccharides, siderophores, and flavonoids, which inhibit the movement of toxic ions (Wani; Khan, 2010) and pathogenic populations (Sivaramaiah; Malak; Sindhu, 2007)
Summary
Chickpea is the third most cultivated legume worldwide, with 17.19 million tons produced in 2018 and a mean yield of 965 kg ha-1 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO - FAOSTAT, 2020). Plant inoculation with growth-promoting bacteria such as those of the genus Bacillus favors the synthesis of phytohormones such as IAA (Mondal et al, 2019) and the secretion of exopolysaccharides, siderophores, and flavonoids, which inhibit the movement of toxic ions (Wani; Khan, 2010) and pathogenic populations (Sivaramaiah; Malak; Sindhu, 2007). These bacteria participate in the maintenance of ionic balance in the soil solution (Hashem; Tabassum; Abd-alla, 2019), promoting phosphorus solubilization (Yadav; Verma, 2014; Hashem; Tabassum; Abd-Alla, 2019). Inoculation with growth-promoting bacteria is recommended to improve plant development, grain production, and nutrient uptake (Yadav; Verma, 2014)
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