Yadav, K.S.Dinesh Kumar2016-11-212016-11-212007http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/86588A total of 104 isolates of rhizobacteria were obtained from rhizosphere and rhizoplane of Ashwagandha plants collected from three locations of Haryana. Of these 36 were from rhizosphere and 68 were from rhizoplane. All the isolates were screened for their growth promoting activities in terms of biomass production in sandy soil without addition of any organic or inorganic fertilizers. Inoculation with these isolates produced more plant biomass than control to a varying level. Only four isolates (HRP-7, RRP-8, and RRP-26 & YRP-11) produced plant biomass more than 10 g /plant. Highest plant biomass was produced by inoculation of isolate YRP-11 (16.49 g/plant) followed by RRP-26 (15.86 g/plant). Isolate HRP-7 produced least plant biomass. Isolates selected on the basis of higher plant biomass production showed useful traits like nitrogen fixation, and production of growth promoting substances like indole acetic acid. Inoculation with selected isolates increased plant biomass more in presence of farmyard manure than without farmyard manure. Mixture of these isolates produced biomass at par with mixed biofertilizer formulation containing Azotobacter and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria.enRhizobacteria, Ashwagandha, Rhizosphere, Rhizoplane, Indole acetic acid, AR activity, Plant Biomass, Farm yard manureThesis