Management practices to mitigate the impact of climate change on wheat by use of liquid microbial inoculants under different planting dates
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Date
2017
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of liquid inoculants of
Azotobacter sp. and Streptomyces badius on agronomic traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under
different planting dates by mitigating the impact of climate change. The cultures of Azotobacter sp. and
Streptomyces badius were procured from the Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural
University, Ludhiana and evaluated for their plant growth promoting traits and physio-chemical
properties. The quantity of phosphate solublization, IAA, gibberellic acid, ammonia production by
Azotobacter sp. was 21.74 ± 0.4 µg/100ml, 10.75 ± 0.3 µg/ml, 77.86 µg/ml and 27.68 ± 0.7 µmole/ml
respectively and by Streptomyces badius was 28.73 ± 0.4 µg/100ml, 13.39 ± 0.8 µg/ml, 108.44 ± 1.5
µg/ml and 32.48 ± 1.6 µmole/ml respectively. The siderophore production was exhibited by
Streptomyces badius only. It produced 104.89 ± 2.3 µg/ml of catechol type and 62.84 ± 0.5µg/ml of
hydroxamate type siderophores. Both the cultures were also found positive for ACC-deaminase activity
and were able to withstand high concentration of NaCl (Azotobacter sp. upto 25% and Streptomyces
badius upto 15%), temperature as high as 50oC and wide range of pH from 2-12. Liquid inoculants of
Azotobacter sp., Streptomyces badius and combination of both formulated using 2% PEG showed
maximum viability after 180 days as compared to other formulations at room and refrigerated
temperature. The field experiment was conducted at Regional Research Station, Bathinda during two
consecutive years i.e. 2015-16 and 2016-17. The main plots treatment consisted of five planting dates
(25th October, 10th November, 25th November, 10th December and 25th December) and four liquid
inoculants treatments (T1:100% RDF (control), T2:100% RDF + seed bacterization with liquid
inoculants, T3:75% RDF + seed bacterization with liquid inoculants and T4:75% RDF + seed
bacterization with liquid inoculants + foliar application of liquid inoculants at critical stages of wheat)
in subplots. The treatments of twenty combinations were tested in split plot design with three
replications. Maximum plant height, chlorophyll content, shoot and root dry weight, effective tillers,
spike length, grains per spike, 1000 grain weight was attained by the crop planted on 10th November
followed by 25th November and minimum by crop planted on 25th December (very late planting).
Significantly highest grain yield was obtained in 10th November planting (58.86 q/ha) and was at par
with 25th November planting. Amongst the liquid inoculants treatment, 75% RDF + seed bacterization
with liquid inoculants + foliar application of liquid inoculants at critical stages of wheat was found
superior in all growth and yield attributing parameters at each date of planting followed by T3, T2 and
T1 . The T4, T3 and T2 treatments resulted in 4.79, 3.47 and 1.61 per cent more grain yield over T1.
Thus it can be concluded that liquid inoculants of Azotobacter sp. and Streptomyces badius can
enhance growth and yield of wheat by mitigating the impact of climate change. This combination may
be used as an efficient PGPR for wheat production.
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