Response of pearl millet to Rhizosphere biofertilizers and foliar application of Azotobacter isolate under rainfed conditions
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Date
2017
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CCSHAU
Abstract
The field experiment entitled “Response of pearl millet to Rhizosphere bioferilizers and foliar
application of isolate under rainfed conditions” was conducted during the kharif season of 2016 at the Research
Farm Area of Genetics and Plant Breeding of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
with the objective to study the effect of different bioinoculants (Biomix and Azotobacter) as seed treatment or
foliar application along with and without recommended inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield, quality, microbial
counts and economics of pearl millet. Twelve different nutrient management combinations i.e. T1 (Control) , T2
(Seed treatment with Biomix) , T3 ( Foliar spray of Azotobacter) isolate JFS5 @ 108cfu ml-1 at 15 DAS , T4 (
Foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu ml-1 at 30 DAS) , T5 (RDF (40 kg N + 20 kg P2O5 ha-1) , T6
(75 % RDF (30 kg N + 15 kg P2O5 ha-1) , T7 (T5 + seed treatment with Biomix), T8 (T5 + foliar spray of
Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu ml-1 at 15 DAS), T9 (T5 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108
cfu ml-1 at 30 DAS) , T10 (T6 + seed treatment with Biomix ), T11 ( T6 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5
@ 108cfu ml-1 at 15 DAS) and T12 (T6 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu ml-1 at 30 DAS) was
laid out in randomized block design along with three replications.
The combined application of Biomix bioinoculants along with RDF (T7) significantly delayed various
phenological events; wherein 50 percent flowering and physiological maturity was delayed by 4.0 and 3.7 days,
respectively by this treatment compared to control. The growth parameters viz. plant height (cm), leaf area , total
number of tillers plant-1 and dry matter accumulation plant-1 (g plant-1) as well as yield attributing parameters
[number of ear heads plant-1, ear head length (cm), ear head girth (mm), test weight (g)] were also recorded
significantly highest under this treatment T7. The crop growth indices i.e. LAI, LAD and CGR were found
significantly higher in the treatments T7, T8, T9 and T10 over rest of the treatments. LAI was found maximum at
40 DAS and CGR and LAD between 20 and 40 DAS and thereafter, a decreasing trend was observed. The pearl
millet grain and dry fodder yield were increased by 44.2% (33.40 q ha-1) and 42.4% (81.50 q ha-1), respectively
under T7 treatment over the control (18.64 q ha-1 grain; 46.95 q ha-1 dry fodder yield).
The N, P content and their uptake as well as in protein content in grain were also recorded higher in T7.
The treatments involving biofertilizers along with inorganic fertilizer improved the microbial population
(Azotobacter + Azospirillum + Phosphate solubilizing bacteria) as compared to inorganic fertilizers alone. The
different microbial groups population were found more at boot stage compared to the dough stage. The highest
gross returns (Rs. 59092 ha-1), net returns (Rs. 42484 ha-1) and B:C (3.56) were recorded highest the treatment
T7- 40 kg N + 20 kg P2O5 ha-1 + seed treatment with Biomix. The treatment resulted in Rs. 6208, Rs. 6158 and
0.37 more gross returns, net returns and B: C ratio over the T5 treatment and Rs. 25850, Rs. 24184 and 1.34 over
the control, respectively.
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