The low organic matter, soil poor structure and extensive cropping pattern are the main characteristics of Pakistan's agriculture. In the current study the goals were set to sustain soil quality and productivity can only be achieved through sustainable management practices. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are important soil microbes enchant growth and yield of plants through direct and indirect mechanisms of root colonization or seed inoculations. Five bacterial strains isolated from rhizospheres of Chickpea (Cicer aritenum.L), Lentil (Lens culinaris) Barseem (Trifolium alexendrium), mungbean (Vigna radiate) and Sesame (Sesamum indicum) were morphologically and biochemically screened and identified. Field experiment was performed at the Arid Zone Research Center, Dera Ismail Khan (Pakistan). These five bacterial strains were used as augmentation material with chickpea seeds. The results showed that treated plots with inoculation of rhizobium strains showed highest shoot and root weights (37.66, 7.00 g). Maximum root length (50 cm) was found in treatment T14 (Rhizobium ciceri) along with organic amendments as compared to control treatment. In arid environment, the effect of rhizobial strains (PGPR) on chickpea showed that significantly increases the crop germination percentage. This combination thus increases the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus in treated plots of rhizobacteria strains T14 treated chickpea crop. The research revealed that the use of inoculation treatments plots have significantly higher yield than non-treated. Treatment with Rhizobium ciceri along with compost, which showed higher grain yield (8 %) as compared to the control. Therefore, it may be recommended for the farmers to use organic manures along with mineral fertilizers, synthetically active organic products to sustain production and saving soil.
Key words: Rhizobacteria, organic amendments, chickpea growth & yield.
|
