Symbiotic attributes and productivity of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, as influenced by co-inoculation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria with Bradyrhizobium japonicum

摘要

Under intensive multiple cropping system, the nutrient balance becomes basic pre-requisite to ensure optimum production (Khan ef a/., 2002). As such, need based fertilizer dressings will be required to replenish the exhausted nutrients based on the crop output. Their levels can be readjusted through microbial consortia inoculants along with organics. For improving crop yields, inoculation with specific microbial preparations is a common practice in many parts of the world. Several studies have shownsignificant increase in crop yields resulting from the addition of microbial cultures. Many plant associated bacteria synthesize plant hormones and growth regulators, which help in positively altering plant growth and development (Lindberg ef al., 1985;Frankenberger and Arshad, 1995) and have synergistic effects in plant protection (Chin ef al., 2003.) Looking at the beneficial effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), the present investigation was initiated to study the co-inoculation effects of PGPR with Bradyrhizobium japonicum (B.j.) on soybean.