Biomass Production and Quality of Berseem Fodder (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) as Influenced by Application of Phosphorus and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season for two consecutive years of 2013–14 and 2014–15. Berseem was sown with inoculation (I₁) and uninoculation (I₀) with PSB alongwith phosphorus fertilizer at the levels 40 (P₁), 60 (P₂), 80 (P₃) and 100 (P₄) kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹. PSB inoculation significantly increased green forage and dry matter yield by increasing plant height, number of branches and leafstem ratio. All the quality traits except ash content and dry matter percentage were significantly affected by PSB inoculation. Higher green forage yield(32.05 t ha⁻¹), dry matter yield (3.93 t ha⁻¹), CP yield (0.79 t ha⁻¹), CP percentage (19.28%), ethyl extract (3.33%) and NFE (41.71%) were recorded from the plots inoculated with PSB. Application of phosphorus significantly influenced the green forage and dry matter yield, leaf-stem ratio etc. though plant height and no. of branches were not-significant. All the quality parameters i.e. CP, CF, EE, NFE, except ash percentage were significantly influenced by phosphorus application. Best results were obtained with 80 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ in all the cases. Regarding interaction effect, higher yields of better quality green forage of berseem were obtainedin I₁P₃i.e. inoculation with PSB with phosphorus application of 80 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹.