EVALUATION OF CARRIERS AND METHODS OF APPLICATION FOR PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIAL (PGPR) INOCULANTS ON APPLE
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Date
2009
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigations entitled “Evaluation of carriers and methods of
application for plant growth promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) inoculants on apple” was
carried out during 2007-2009. An attempt was made to evaluate different carrier
materials,viz. charcoal,peat,talc powder, vermicompost and vermiculite and to
standardize the methods of application of carrier based / liquid formulation of Bacillus
megaterium on apple under net house conditions .The relationship of optical density
with viable cell counts and quantity of inoculum with carrier material was established.
The viable counts decrease with increase in storage period irrespective of carrier
materials. Charcoal was found to be best carrier material to retain maximum number of
viable cells after 180 days of storage. The effect of liquid shake culture prepared in
nutrient broth was more effective compared to water based rest culture. The inoculation
of carrier based formulation excels to register their effects on seed germination and
other plant growth parameters over liquid (rest /shake) formulation. The application of
charcoal based inoculum in sterilized vermicompost has not only significantly influenced
seed germination, shoot length, root length, leaf size and number of leaves, but also
improved the available nitrogen and phosphorus content of the soil. These findings
clearly reveal that charcoal is the best carrier material to retain long shelf life of Bacillus
megaterium and the application of charcoal based inoculum with sterilized vermicompost
is the best method to produce healthy seedlings of apple.