Department of Soil Science and Department of Agril. Botany, Bharati Vidyapeeth’s Loknete Mohanrao Kadam College of Agriculture, Hingangaon (Kh.), Tal. Kadegaon, Dist. Sangli, Maharashtra (India)
Online published on 21 July, 2025.
Present study was undertaken to find out the effect of nitrogen-fixing bacterial consortia on productivity of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). For this purpose, a field trial was conducted during the years 2021 and 2023 at three locations in Maharashtra. Six treatments, comprising different nitrogen levels (0–100% RDF) and microbial inoculations were compared with each other and control using a randomized block design. The results revealed that application of a bacterial consortium @ 25 % nitrogen fertilization significantly increased cane yield (114.34 t ha-1), nitrogen content in leaves (1.36%) and total nitrogen uptake (188.86 kg ha-1). This treatment recorded the highest nitrogen use efficiency (457.36 kg cane/kg N) and benefit-cost ratio (2.42), indicating its agronomic and economic viability. Thus the integration of endophytic bacteria in nutrient management of sugarcane was found to be beneficial.
Sugarcane, Endophytic bacteria, Bio-fertilizer, Microbial inoculants, Sustainable agriculture, Cane yield, NUE, Reduced nitrogen fertilization
