Growth Of Chickpea Plants Research Articles

Optimization andutilization ofemerging waste (fly ash) for growth performance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plant and mitigation of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) stress.

The sustainable management of large amounts of fly ash (FA) is a concern for researchers, and we aim to determine the FA application in plant development and nematicidal activity in the current study. A pot study is therefore performed to assess the effects of adding different, FA-concentrations to soil (w/w) on the infection of chickpea plants with the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Sequence characteristic amplified region (SCAR) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region-based-markers were used to molecularly confirm M. incognita. With better plant growth and chickpea yield performance, FA enhanced the nutritious components of the soil. When compared with untreated, uninoculated control (UUC) plants, the inoculation of M. incognita dramatically reduced chickpea plant growth, yield biomass, and metabolism. The findings showed that the potential of FA to lessen the root-knot nematode illness in respect of galls, egg-masses, and reproductive attributes may be used to explain the mitigating effect of FA. Fascinatingly, compared with the untreated, inoculated control (UIC) plants, the FA treatment, primarily at 20%, considerably (p ≤ 0.05) boosted plant growth, yield biomass, and pigment content. Additionally, when the amounts of FA rose, the activity of antioxidants like superoxide dismutase-SOD, catalase-CAT, and peroxidase-POX as well as osmo-protectants like proline gradually increased. Therefore, our findings imply that 20% FA can be successfully applied as a potential strategy to increase biomass yield and plant growth while simultaneously reducing M. incognita infection in chickpea plants.

Efficacy of Various Chemical Sprays on Plant Growth of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Terminal Heat Stress Conditions

Heat stress is now widely accepted as an important ecological factor influencing growth of plants and production. Rising temperatures as a result of global warming cause heat stress, reducing plant development and potential output throughout the entire globe. A field experiment was carried out at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur, to minimize the heat stress induced-losses in chickpea plants with the foliar spray of chemicals during two consecutive years 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Rabi season (November-April). Experimental treatments comprise two chickpea varieties (RVG-202 and RVG-203) sown on same day (15th November). foliar spray of seven chemicals at at vegetative, anthesis and at both stages. The chemcials include Salicylic acid @ 800 ppm, Salicylic acid @ 400 ppm, Ascorbic acid @ 10 ppm, Potassium chloride @ 1%, Thiourea @ 400 ppm, Cycocel @ 400 ppm and Control (no spray). Results suggested that heat stress severely reduced the chickpea growth and productivity. However, foliar application of salicylic acid and thiourea positively affected the plant growth attributes which ultimately increased the final productivity. Concisely, the foliar spray of chemicals particularly, salicylic acid and thiourea modulated the heat stress induced losses in chickpea cultivars, RVG-202 and RVG-203 by improving their antioxidant defense mechanism and enhanced the productivity.

Glutathione Mediates Growth Regulation of Chickpea Plant Cicer arietinum and Mitigates Salinity Stress.

Glutathione is water-soluble with a low molecular weight and is commonly spread in plants. It is a co-factor in several biochemical reactions and acts together with signaling molecules and hormones, and its redox state activates signal transduction. The experiment was conducted in the botanical garden, Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, Ibn Al- Haitham, University of Baghdad, during the growing season 2020-2021 to evaluate the potential effects of foliar spraying with (25, 50, 75 mg.L-1) glutathione in addition to the control (0) on the growth of chickpea plants subjected to sodium chloride salt (100, 200 mM.L-1) addition to the control (0). The results point out that salinity clearly decreased, as did plant height, branch number, shoot dry weight, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium concentration, protein percentage, and increased sodium concentration in chickpea plants. A foliar spray of Glutathione, notably 50 and 75 mg.L-1, enhanced the tolerance of chickpea plants by improving growth traits.

Effects of Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on the Growth of Chickpea Plant and Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Contents

Rapid economic and population growth has led to rising atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating adequate soil and crop management for enhanced CO2 absorption. Plant and soil microorganisms have various effects on atmospheric CO2 capturing. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a leguminous plant, establishes a symbiotic association with rhizobium bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, enabling it to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) and sequester more CO2 into the biomass and then to the soil. However, the application type of fertilizers influences this plant’s growth and soil’s capacity to retain carbon (C). In this background, the current research aimed to explore the impact of various organic and inorganic fertilization methods on the growth and nutrient content of chickpea plants and nitrogen content and soil organic carbon. A long-term field trial was started in 1996 at Çukurova University Research Center, with the five treatments such as Control (without fertilizer), Animal manure (25 t ha-1), Mineral fertilizer (NPK), Compost (25 t ha-1), and Mycorrhiza + Compost (10 t ha-1). Chickpeas were planted and harvested in 2020. During harvesting, plant samples at 1 m2 area, and soil samples at 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm depths were taken. The shoot, root and pod fresh biomass and tissue C, P, K, N, and Zn concentrations were determined. Similarly, the soil P, organic C and total N concentrations were determined. The results of the study indicate that mineral fertilizer resulted in a notable enhancement in the shoot, root and seed biomass of chickpea plants. Furthermore, mineral fertilizer resulted in a higher concentration of carbon in the roots, while the treatments involving animal manure, compost +AMF, and compost showed higher concentrations of K in both shoots and seeds. Seed P concentration was higher when animal manure was applied and exhibited similarity to the compost treatment. In terms of soil properties, the application of animal manure led to increased levels of soil organic carbon and P. Moreover, the compost treatment showed an increase in organic carbon in deeper soil depth. At 15-30 cm soil depth, both animal manure and compost treatments contributed to improved levels of total nitrogen. The good effects of organic fertilizers on soil fertility and nutrient levels in sustainable farming practices are highlighted by these findings. When compared to mineral fertilizer, animal dung specifically showed considerable improvements in soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

Suppression of dry root rot disease caused by Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taub.) Butler in chickpea plants by application of thiamine loaded chitosan nanoparticles.

The present study evaluated the effect of thiamine loaded chitosan nanoparticle (TChNp) on chickpea plant growth under greenhouse condition. TChNp treated plants showed increased number of leaves, branches, shoot/root length, number of secondary roots and plant dry weight. Enhanced nodulation with larger nodules was observed in TChNp treated chickpea plants. A significant increase in the number of flowers, pods and grain yield was observed in the TChNp treated chickpea plants compared to the chitosan and untreated control. The TChNps showed direct antifungal activity towards Rhizoctonia bataticola as evidenced by in vitro and SEM analyses, which might be due to the solubility and size of the nanoparticle. TChNps treated chickpea plants challenged with R. bataticola showed significant reduction in plant mortality compared to infected untreated control under pot condition. These results indicate the potential of the TChNps in enhancing the yield and suppressing the dry root rot disease in chickpea.

Evaluation of Plant Growth-Promoting Yeasts and Their Effect on Chickpea Plant Growth

Yeasts play a significant role in a wide range of fields, and the fascination they arouse stems from their incredible diversity in natural habitats. Among these habitats we focused on the soil of a unique biotope (oasis) in the Algerian Sahara, where yeasts have received little attention. For the first time, the distribution of yeasts, was determined depending on the plant and seasons. Their metabolic activity represented in the PGP effects, benefits the studied plant (chickpea) at the soil level involving the production of NH3, IAAs, the solubilization of inorganic phosphorus and zinc oxide, and even the micro-symbionts by the stimulation of nodulation. The isolated yeasts were also shown to possess PGP properties that largely exceed those of the reference strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the strain RSZ1 of Kodamaea ohmeri having the best solubilization and production indices. When compared to the non-infected control and those inoculated with the reference strain S. cerevisiae, these characteristics enhanced the dry biomass yield of the examined plant by three to four or even six times. Another effect was nodulation, in which the number of nodules significantly increased compared to the control. Yeasts have a high-temperature tolerance limit of 43°C, posing a significant challenge in this biotope. This little-known role of yeasts, particularly in Algeria, is interesting, and can be used with other microorganisms as an alternative to hazardous chemical fertilizers and as bio-inputs in the improvement of healthy agricultural production, revegetation of degraded sites, and the establishment of life in these biotopes.

Biochar from food waste: a sustainable amendment to reduce water stress and improve the growth of chickpea plants

The application of biochar in agriculture is a developing means to improve soil water retention, fertility, and crop yield. The present work focuses on biochar preparation from mixed vegetable and fruit wastes, using cauliflower, cabbage, banana peels, corn leaves, and corn cobs. The biochar produced at 400 °C was applied to the soil as an amendment to observe the qualitative changes of soil quality, plant growth, and water retention capacity of the soil based on screening in a previous study. Pot experiments were conducted at a laboratory scale having 0%, 2%, and 6% biochar mixed with sand. Each pot was sown with seeds of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and monitored over 60 days. Two biochar application rates improved soil quality by increasing soil porosity from 49.3 to ≥ 53.4%, more than doubling cation exchange capacity to ≥ 21.1 cmolc.kg−1, providing a small reduction in bulk density of approximately 10% and decreasing electrical conductivity of the extract by at least 40% in comparison to control condition. The biochar application also increased key soil nutrients K, Mn, S, and P by a factor of 2–9 times. Application of biochar at 2% and 6% improved water retention from 55 to 77 and 91 mL respectively over the study and, more importantly, more than doubled the biomass yield for the same water application. The lower biochar application rate of 2% led to more germinated seeds (p = 0.0001), leaves (p = 0.0001), flowers, and fruiting chickpeas than the control condition. The 6% biochar application rate slightly improved plant height (p = 0.01) and provided a small reduction in water loss compared with the 2% biochar. Both biochar loadings increased the root and shoot biomass (p = 0.005) and nutrient content of the shoot and root biomass, particularly K, P, and S (p = 0.0001). This study demonstrates that biochar application at 2–6% is an effective means to increase chickpea yield and reduce water stress. Given small differences in performance within this application range, 2% application is recommended. The study establishes valorization of cellulose rich food waste in the form of biochar as a potential method for positive soil management and increased agricultural productivity in arid environments.

An Evaluation of Aluminum Tolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa A7 for In Vivo Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Chickpea Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris and Growth Promotion of Chickpea.

Chickpea wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, is a disease that decreases chickpea productivity and quality and can reduce its yield by as much as 15%. A newly isolated, moss rhizoid-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain A7, demonstrated strong inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris growth. An in vitro antimicrobial assay revealed A7 to suppress the growth of several fungal and bacterial plant pathogens by secreting secondary metabolites and by producing volatile compounds. In an in vivo pot experiment with Fusarium wilt infection in chickpea, the antagonist A7 exhibited a disease reduction by 77 ± 1.5%, and significantly reduced the disease incidence and severity indexes. Furthermore, A7 promoted chickpea growth in terms of root and shoot length and dry biomass during pot assay. The strain exhibited several traits associated with plant growth promotion, extracellular enzymatic production, and stress tolerance. Under aluminum stress conditions, in vitro growth of chickpea plants by A7 resulted in a significant increase in root length and plant biomass production. Additionally, hallmark genes for antibiotics production were identified in A7. The methanol extract of strain A7 demonstrated antimicrobial activity, leading to the identification of various antimicrobial compounds based on retention time and molecular weight. These findings strongly suggest that the strain’s significant biocontrol potential and plant growth enhancement could be a potential environmentally friendly process in agricultural crop production.

The effect of phosphate flotation wastes and phosphogypsum on cattle manure compost quality and plant growth

In this study, the effect of phosphates flotation wastes (PFW) and phosphogypsum (PPG) on organic biomass degradation, compost quality, and plant growth was examined. Our results showed that PFW and PPG improve composting mechanisms, accelerate organic substance degradation, and increase fertilizing elements (P2O5, K2O, MgO, CaO). The low level of C/N ratio in the finished composts reflects the good quality of the prepared composts. The effect of PFW and PPG additives on plant growth was evaluated using chickpea plants. Addition of PFW and PPG enhanced significantly chickpea plant growth and development, compared to the control, especially when added simultaneously. These results indicate that PFW and PPG can be utilized in compost formulations, and as fertilizers in agricultural practices to improve chickpea plant growth and development, while at the same time reducing the environmental and health risks associated with their disposal.

Synthesis and assessment of carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum based novel superabsorbent hydrogels for agricultural applications

The novel superabsorbent hydrogels (SAH) were fabricated by interpenetrating carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum with sodium-acrylate. The synthesis of SAH was verified by characterization using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and swelling studies under various solutions. The hydrogel formed was found out to be degradable (soil burial biodegradation test). Maximum water holding capacity, bulk density, porosity and water retention capacity of soil were evaluated to see the effects on soil by the hydrogel treatment. The hydrogel which absorbs up to 648 ml/g, post inclusion to soil, and showed significant enhancement in the moisture absorption (35%), porosity (7%) and water retension capacity compared to the untreated (control) soil. The effects of the hydrogel were also seen on the growth of chickpea plants. The synthesized SAH displayed promising potential as soil conditioner for agricultural applications.

Adequate zinc nutrition improves the tolerance against drought and heat stresses in chickpea

Two chickpea genotypes viz. Bhakar-2011 (desi) and Noor-2013 (kabuli) were sown in soil filled pots supplied with low (0.3 mg kg−1) and high (3 mg kg−1 soil) zinc (Zn) under control (70% water holding capacity and 25/20 °C day/night temperature), drought (35% water holding capacity) and heat (35/30 °C day/night temperature) stresses. Drought and heat stresses reduced rate of photosynthesis, photosystem II efficiency, plant growth and Zn uptake in chickpea. Low Zn supply exacerbated adverse effects of drought and heat stresses in chickpea, and caused reduction in plant biomass, carbon assimilation, antioxidant activity, impeded Zn uptake and enhanced oxidative damage. However, adequate Zn supply ameliorated adverse effect of drought and heat stresses in both chickpea types. The improvements were more in desi than kabuli type. Adequate Zn nutrition is crucial to augment growth of chickpea plants under high temperature and arid climatic conditions.

Unravelling the potential of microbes isolated from rhizospheric soil of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) as plant growth promoter.

In the present study, the Cicer arietinum (chickpea) rhizosphere bacterial strains Azotobacter chroococcum (AU-1), Bacillus subtilis (AU-2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (AU-3) and Bacillus pumilis (AU-4) were isolated and characterized for plant growth-promoting traits with an aim of developing bio-fertilizing agent to improve growth and yield of chickpea plants under normal conditions. The ACC degrading potential of strains AU-1, AU-2, AU-3, and AU-4 was in the range of 600-1700nmol α-ketobutyrate per mg of cellular protein per hour, respectively. These four rhizobacteria exhibited Indole acetic acid production approximately between 20 and 35.34µg/ml. The phosphate solubilization potential was in the range of 78-87.64mg Soluble P/L with maximum solubilization displayed by strains P. aeruginosa and B. pumilis. All the growth-promoting isolates displayed Fe-chelating siderophore and ammonia production while no isolate was able to produce hydrocyanic acid. Besides evaluating the presence of multifaceted in vitro plant growth-promoting traits, these four rhizobacterial isolates were halotolerant as well as water stress (drought) tolerant of up to - 1.2Mpa of PEG 6000. The optimum pH and temperature for their growth were found to be pH 7 and 30°C temperature. Under normal conditions, inoculation with formulated bacterial consortia significantly improved the (P ≤ 0.05) germination index, plant height, leaf area index, stem diameter, and chlorophyll content by ~ 50%, 100%, 63%, 185%, and 63%, respectively, as compared to uninoculated chickpea plants. The consortia of halotolerant and drought tolerant bacterial strains were shown to exert a positive impact on the growth of chickpea plants under normal conditions.

Mitigation of effect of salt stress on the nodulation, nitrogen fixation and growth of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) by triple microbial inoculation

Plant-associated microorganisms play a critical role in agricultural productivity. Symbiotic microorganisms interact with each other and allow their host leguminous plants to maintain optimal nutrient levels and enhance their growth. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to investigate the synergistic interaction of different symbiotic microbes and its beneficial effect on the nodulation, nodule efficiency, and growth of salt-affected chickpea plants (Cicer arietinum L.). Rhizobium sp. (MK358859) was isolated from the root nodules of chickpea plants. In vitro, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) at a concentration of 150 μg/ml significantly enhanced the growth ofRhizobium compared with bulk FeCl3. The impact of seven soil salinity levels (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl) on germination and subsequent growth was measured. The salinity levels ranging from 25 to 150 mM significantly inhibited the growth of chickpea plants, while the 200 mM level hindered their germination. The influence of triple microbial inoculation of chickpea plants grown in soil with 0, 75 and 150 mM NaCl was studied. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi, Fe3O4 NP-inducedRhizobium, and endophytic Stenotrophomonas maltophilia significantly improved the nodulation, leghaemoglobin content, nitrogenase activity, and growth of chickpea grown at salinity level of 75 and 150 mM compared with the controls. The mitigation of the destructive effect of salinity stress was due to improvement in the nutritional status of plants as determined by their K, P, carbohydrate and protein contents. Such triple microbial inoculation could be a successful bio-fertilizer that can contribute to protecting chickpea plants from salinity by attenuating salt-induced oxidative damage.

Comparative pot studies of chitosan and chitosan-metal nanocomposites as nano-agrochemicals against fusarium wilt of chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract Fusarium wilt is a seed borne and soil borne disease of chickpea caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri (FOC). In this work, chitosan and their nanocomposites were evaluated as antifungal agents against FOC, in vitro as well as in vivo. Among these, chitosan copper oxide nanocomposites (Ch-CuO) and chitosan-zinc oxides nanocomposites (Ch-ZnO) were found to be the most effective against FOC at all recommended concentrations i.e. 50, 100 and 200 µg/ml. Chitosan nanoparticles (Ch) and chitosan-silver nanocomposites (Ch-Ag) were found to be moderately effective but more efficient than standard fungicide i.e. copper-oxy-chloride (CuOCl). Based on in vitro results, 100 µg/ml concentration of all nanoformulations (NFs) was selected for in vivo studies in potted plants. The highest wilt disease reduction was observed in Ch-CuO (46.67%) followed by plants treated with Ch-ZnO (40%) as moderately effective, while Ch-Ag and Ch caused only 33.33% reduction in wilt incidence as less effective. All nanoformulations showed good antifungal efficacy and inhibited the pathogen as well as found to promote the growth of chickpea plants as compared to untreated plants.

Proteomic analysis of the promotive effect of plant-derived smoke on plant growth of chickpea

Plant-derived smoke plays a key role in seed germination and plant growth. To investigate the effect of plant-derived smoke on chickpea, a gel-free/label-free proteomic technique was used. Germination percentage, root/shoot length, and fresh biomass were increased in chickpea treated with 2000 ppm plant-derived smoke within 6 days. On treatment with 2000 ppm plant-derived smoke for 6 days, the abundance of 90 proteins including glycolysis-related proteins significantly changed in chickpea root. Proteins related to signaling and transport were increased; however, protein metabolism, cell, and cell wall were decreased. The sucrose synthase for starch degradation was increased and total soluble sugar was induced. The proteins for nitrate pathway were increased and nitrate content was improved. On the other hand, although secondary metabolism related proteins were decreased, flavonoid contents were increased. Based on proteomic and immuno-blot analyses, proteins related to redox homeostasis were decreased and increased in root and shoot, respectively. Furthermore, fructose‑bisphosphate aldolase was increased; while, phosphotransferase and phosphoglycero mutase were decreased in glycolysis. In addition, phosphoglyceraldehyde‑3‑phosphate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase related genes were up-regulated. These results suggest that plant-derived smoke improves early stage of growth in chickpea with the balance of many cascades such as glycolysis, redox homeostasis, and secondary metabolism. Biological significanceThe current study examined the effects of plant-derived smoke on root of chickpea seedlings using a gel-free/label-free proteomic technique. Based on functional categorization of results from proteomics, proteins related to glycolysis, signaling, transport, protein metabolism, cell wall, and cell were predominantly changed in chickpea. The proteins related to carbohydrate and nitrate pathways were increased, while, those of secondary metabolism were decreased. Physiological analysis indicated that flavonoid, total soluble sugar, and nitrate content were increased in root of chickpea treated with plant-derived smoke for 6 days. Moreover, accumulated protein abundance of glyceraldehyde‑3‑phosphate dehydrogenase and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase was in agreement with immuno-blot results, which suggests that glycolysis process might be enhanced in root of chickpea in response to plant-derived smoke.

Association of plant growth-promoting Serratia spp. with the root nodules of chickpea

Serratia species-affiliated DNA sequences have recently been discovered in the root nodules of two chickpea cultivars; however, little is known about their potential influence on chickpea plant growth. All Serratia-affiliated sequences (1136) could be grouped into two clusters at 98% DNA similarity. The major cluster, represented by 96% of sequences, was closely associated with Serratia marcescens sequences from GenBank. In the current study, we isolated two Serratia strains, 5D and RTL100, from root nodules of a field-grown Desi cultivar from Faisalabad and Thal areas, respectively. In vitro, strain 5D showed significantly higher phosphate (P) solubilization and lactic acid production than RTL100, whereas a comparable concentration of phytohormone was produced by both isolates. The application of Serratia strain 5D as an inoculum resulted in 25.55% and 30.85% increases in the grain yield of crops grown on fertile soil in irrigated areas and nutrient-deficient soil in rainfed areas, respectively, compared to the non-inoculated control. Results of plant inoculations indicated that Serratia sp. 5D and RTL100 can serve as effective microbial inoculants, particularly in nutrient-deficient soils in rainfed areas, where chickpea is the only major crop grown during the entire year.

Influence of vermi-fortification on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) growth and photosynthetic pigments

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different vermicomposts and their dosages on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plants in pot culture experiment. A total of five potting media were prepared containing soil and vermicompost. Soil fortified with 10 and 20 % vermicompost was used as potting media. The fertility status of soil and vermicomposts was quantified. In these potting media, growth, yield and biochemical parameters of chickpea plants were studied up to 90 days. The results showed that the fortification of soil with vermicompost significantly stimulated the chickpea plant growth. The plant height, plant shoot biomass, number of pods and photosynthetic pigments were significantly higher in vermicompost-fortified experiments, whereas vermicompost fortification had no significant effect on chickpea seed germination as it was ≈100 % in all experiments. Total chlorophyll content in chickpea leaves was in the range of 0.437–1.07 mg/g. Similarly, carotenoid content was minimum in control and maximum in 20 % vermicompost containing potting media. It was concluded that if soil is fortified with appropriate quantities of vermicompost, the chickpea production per unit area could be enhanced significantly.

English

Salinity stress severely affects growth, nodulation and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). However, inoculation with Mesorhizobium strains containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase improves the plant growth by reducing the level of ethylene induced by salt stress. Fifty (50) Mesorhizobium isolates were obtained from nodules of chickpea plants on yeast extract mannitol agar (YEMA) medium. Mesorhizobium isolates were screened for ACC utilization and growth at different salt concentrations in YEMA medium. Six salt tolerant Mesorhizobium isolates were checked for their role in plant growth promotion under pot house conditions in chillum jar assembly. Mesorhizobium strains having ACC utilization ability caused an increase in the nodule number, nodule weight and shoot dry weight after plant growth for 50 and 80 days, both with and without NaCl. Mesorhizobium isolate MBD26 showed 294 mg/plant shoot dry weight without salt condition after 50 days of plant growth. Mesorhizobium isolate MBD26 increased shoot dry weight by 49.52% (without salt) and 41.53% in the presence of salt (40 mM NaCl) after 80 days of plant growth. It was observed that inoculation with Mesorhizobium isolates containing ACC-deaminase improved nodulation and plant growth of chickpea over ACC deaminase lacking isolates. Thus, inoculation with Mesorhizobium strains possessing ACC utilization ability could be a sustainable approach to improve plant growth under salinity stress. Key words: 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) utilization, salt stress, Mesorhizobium, chickpea, nodulation, plant growth.

Nutritional paradigm of vermicompost enhances tolerance to endosulfan in Cicer arietinum

A nutritional factor in vermicompost has been exploited suitably to stimulate growth of chickpea Cicer arietinum . It was noticed that incorporating 12.5% of vermicompost stimulates the plant in every aspect of growth and development. Germination rate decreased during 10 to 15 days of treatment. However, it becomes identical to the control after 20 days of treatment. The percentage of increase in total length, internode size, emergence of leaf, emergence of flower and number of pod was 13% (40 days treatment), 205% (15 days treatment), 43% (28 days treatment), 58% (65 days treatment) and 600% (80 days treatment), respectively. Similar impact of vermicompost was also noticed during growth of the plant in 2.5, 5 and 7.5% of endosulfan. An increase in germination to the extent of 6-fold was also noticed. Total length, internode size, emergence of leaf, emergence of flower and number of pod has been triple (5 days treatment in 15% endosulfan), more than 450% (5 days treatment in 5% endosulfan), more than 550% (23 days of growth in 10% endosulfan), 300% (65 days growth in 10% endosulfan) and 600% (85 days growth in 5% endosulfan). Hence, the results obtained partially support stimulation effect of vermicompost in chickpea plant growth. This can be attributed to, as one of the principles, adopted by Cicer arietinum in remediation of endosulfan Key words : Vermicompost, endosulfan, growth parameters, chickpea.

Enhancement of Nodulation and Yield of Chickpea by Co-inoculation of Indigenous Mesorhizobium spp. and Plant Growth–Promoting Rhizobacteria in Eastern Uttar Pradesh

We study the effect of plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) along with Mesorhizobium sp. BHURC02 on nodulation, plant growth, yield, and nutrient content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under field conditions. A similar study has been conducted for nodulation and plant growth of chickpea in pot experiment under glasshouse conditions. The treatment combination of Mesorhizobium sp. BHURC02 and Pseudomonas fluorescens BHUPSB06 statistically significantly increased nodule number plant–1, dry weight of nodule plant–1, and root and shoot dry weights plant–1 over the control under a glasshouse experiment. The maximum significant increase in nodule number, dry matter, and nutrient content were recorded in co-inoculation of Mesorhizobium sp. BHURC02 and P. fluorescens BHUPSB06 followed by co-inoculation of Mesorhizobium sp., Azotobacter chroococcum, and Bacillus megatrium BHUPSB14 over uninoculated control in a 2-year field study. Hence, co-inoculation of Mesorhizobium sp. and P. fluorescens may be effective indigenous PGPR for chickpea production.