Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria-Fungi as Growth Promoter in Wheat Production

Abstract

Pot treatment for the bio fertilizer was applied as follows: Trt1 (1g), Trt2 (2g), Trt3 (3g), Trt4 (4g), and Trt5 (Control). The field treatments for the bio-fertilizer were applied as follows: T1 (Control), T2 (100% Mineral Fert (400kg/Ha)), T3 (100% biofert (60kg/Ha)), T4 (100% Mineral fert + 100% biofert), T5 (75% Mineral fert + 100% biofert), T6 (50% mineral fert + 100% biofert), T7 (75% Mineral fert + 75% biofert), T8 (75% mineral fert + 50% biofert), T9 (50% mineral fert + 75% biofert), T10 (50% mineral fert + 50% biofert). Both experiments were laid out as RCBD with three replicates. Effect of bio-fertilizer was significant (P<0.05) for all the parameters (height, number of leaves, root length, fresh and dry weight, number of tillers and grain yield). From the pot trial Trt3 gave the best results. For the field trial, on the basis of grain yield, T8 ranked first (6 427 kg/ha) and T2 ranked second (6 107 kg/ha). Treatment T5 ranked third (5 784 kg/ha). Treatment T9 resulted least performance regarding grain yield of 4 616 kg/ha for treatments with combination of mineral fertilizer and bio fertilizer. It can therefore be concluded that 75% mineral fertilizer in combination with 100% and 50% bio fertilizer gave the best result and could prove cost effective when the application protocol is properly followed. This recommendation corroborates with the fact that inorganic fertilizers are becoming too expensive to procure by small-scale farmers.