Vol. 12, Issue 7 (2023)

Author(s):
AS Katkar, CT Kumbhar, AC Jadhav and DD Godse

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of Department of Plant Pathology and Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Pune (Maharashtra, India), during the kharif season of year 2020, to study the effect of consortium of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) (Azotobacter chroococcum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Frateuria aurantia) on growth and yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Results of the investigation explicitly unveiled that, the seed inoculation with consortium of PGPR consisting of A. chroococcum, P. fluorescens, B. subtilis, B. megaterium and F. aurantia in conjunction with application of 75% of recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (RDF) was the most effective in improving growth, yield and nutrient uptake in spinach. This treatment had significantly the highest plant height (21.50 cm) and number of leaves (10) at 15 days after sowing. Observations recorded at 30 days after sowing as well indicated that, this treatment had the highest plant height (27.67 cm), number of leaves (18.67), fresh plant weight (99.50 g/plant), fresh shoot and root weight (67.80 and 31.10 g/plant). The treatment also recorded minimum days for crop maturity (28.33 days) and yielded the highest yield (95.89 q/ha). In regard to nutrient uptake, this treatment was found most effective in improving N, P and K uptake (62.67, 22.67 and 37.23 kg/ha, respectively) by plants. However, this treatment did not differ significantly from the treatment consisting of seed inoculation with consortium of A. chroococcum, P. fluorescens, B. subtilis, B. megaterium, F. aurantia in conjunction with application of 100% RDF and, the treatment of application of RDF only, in augmenting growth and yield of spinach. These three treatments, thus, were found to be significantly superior over rest of the treatments in improving growth parameters and yield attributes of the crop. The results explicitly substantiate that, the treatment comprising of seed inoculation with consortium of A. chroococcum, P. fluorescens, B. subtilis, B. megaterium, F. aurantia in conjunction with application of 75% of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) saves 25% of recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the cultivation of spinach.