APPLICATION OF NOVEL MICROBIAL INOCULANTS ENHANCED YIELD OF POTATO (CV. GULMARG SPECIAL) UNDER TEMPERATE FIELD CONDITIONS

摘要

This study was undertaken at experimental farm, Division of Basic Sciences & Humanities of Faculty of Agriculture Wadura, Sopore, SKUAST-Kashmir during Kharif season-2019 under RCBD design. The experiment entailed 7 microbial treatments including single inoculation and also combination of two bio-inoculants. The tubers were planted in plots of length 2m and width 2m with spacing of 60× 25 cm. At the time of sowing these bio-inoculants were applied (25 ml/tuber) as liquid medium to the seed (tubers) in the field. The potatoes were harvested when they were fully matured and were of brown colour. The impact of these inoculants as biofertilizers on the overall yield of potato was studied. The application of microbial inoculants viz; Azotobacter sp., Phosphorous Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB), Potassium Solubilising Bacteria (KSB), Zinc Solubilising Bacteria (ZnSB), PSB +ZnSB and Azotobacter sp. + KSB had a positive impact on yield attributes of Potato tubers under field conditions. The results of the experiment depicted that application of all the microbial inoculants improved yield of potato, maximum tubers per plant (16.28), yield per plant (483.6g), yield per plot (11.75 Kg) and total tuber yield (29.3 t/ha) respectively. Moreover, highest marketable yield was witnessed in Azotobacter sp. + KSB (28.31 t ha~(-1)) followed by PSB +ZnSB (25.14 t ha~(-1)). Therefore this study suggested that application of microbial inoculants as an eco-friendly nutrient management tool enhance the yield of potato under temperate field conditions.