Implications of indigenous phosphate solubilizing bacteria in association with phosphorus fertilizer on growth dynamics, phosphorus biofortification and yield attributes in upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) under field conditions
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Date
2020-10
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
The present investigation was an attempt to evaluate the impact of phosphate solubilizing bacterial strains viz., Bacillus licheniformis, Pantoea dispersa, and Staphylococcus sp. isolated from paddy rhizosphere on growth, phosphorus biofortification,
phosphorus related efficiencies, and yield parameters in rice genotype Pant Dhan 26 under upland conditions. A field experiment was laid out in split-plot design during the Kharif season of 2018 and 2019 in triplicates with nine treatments viz., T1- uninoculated control with 0%, 50%, 75%, and 100% recommended phosphate fertilizer dose (i.e. 45 kg P2O5 ha-1); T2- PSB1; T3- PSB2; T4- PSB3; T5- PSB1+PSB2; T6- PSB1+PSB3; T7- PSB2+PSB3; T8- PSB1+PSB2+PSB3; T9- Standard PSB strain. The rice plants treated with PSB alone or in combination with varied phosphate fertilizer doses showed improved growth traits like plant height, leaf area index, leaf and culm dry weight, root parameters, and total dry matter as well as physiological attributes like flag leaves chlorophyll and carotenoid content, chlorophyll fluorescens, and antioxidants compared to uninoculated control. A significant
increment in yield parameters like panicle weight, panicle length, spikelet fertility, grain yield, and harvest index was recorded in all PSB treated plants blended with phosphate fertilizer rates compared to control plants. Phosphorus uptake in grains and vegetal tissues, and phosphorus use efficiency was significantly augmented in the consortium of PSB blended with 50% fertilizer rate. Iron content improved significantly in all the PSB treated plants whereas zinc content and disease incidence reduced in PSB treated plants compared to control plants. The present findings provide an overview that PSB alone or their consortium blended with an optimum 50% recommended phosphate fertilizer dose can be an effective strategy for biofortification of crops in an eco-friendly and economical manner for a sustainable agriculture system.