Effect of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria inoculation on plant growth, productivity and economics of Basmati rice

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in a wet season (Kharif) to study the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR) inoculation on agronomic traits and productivity of Basmati rice (cv. ‘Pusa Basmati 1401’) in a randomized block with twelve treatments. We evaluated one bacterial (Providencia sp. PW5) and one cyanobacterial strain (Anabaena sp. CR3), and also a Multani mitti (Fuller’s earth)-based blue-green algal biofertilizer (a composite culture of Anabaena, Nostoc, Tolypothrix and Aulosira sp.). Plant growth, yield attributes, yield and net return of rice were significantly improved due to the rhizobacterial inoculation. The highest responses were recorded from combined inocula of bacteria and cyanobacteria together with compost.Keywords: Bacterial inoculants; BGA; cyanobacterial inoculants, PGPR; yield attributes.