Effect of plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and PSB on growth and yield of irrigated maize under varying levels of phosphorus

A field experiment was conducted during kharif, 2015 at College of Agriculture, V.C. Farm, UAS, Bangalore. The experiment comprised of thirteen treatments consisting of three levels of phosphorus (75, 100 and 125 per cent of recommended dose) and various phosphorus biofertilizers and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizosphere (PGPR) and their combinations. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with three replications. The soil type was sandy loam. The maize hybrid used was NAH-1137. The results revealed that the application of 75, 100 and 125 per cent of recommended dose of phosphorus fertilizer along with PGPR II (Pseudomonas fluorescens + Bacillus megaterium + Azospirillum brasilense) improved the growth parameters viz., plant height, LAI, CGR and Total dry weight (TDW) of the crop. It also increased the yield parameters like number of rows cob-1, kernels row-1, kernels cob-1, kernel weight cob-1, cob weight, test weight and harvest index over the use of RDF. The kernel yield was significantly higher over control in all the treatments involving biofertilizers except with the application of 75, 100 and 125 per cent of recommended dose of phosphorus fertilizer along with Bacillus megaterium.