Influence of Microbial Consortia on Yield of Kharif Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and Soil Parameters under Rainfed Conditions

Plant beneficial microorganisms carry out multiple functions such as organic matter decomposition, solubilization, transformation and mobilization of plant nutrients, biological nitrogen fixation, enhance soil quality and crop yields. In the present study, seed + soil application of two microbial consortia viz., Pseudomonas putida P7 + Paenibacillus favisporus B30 (consortia 1) and Pseudomonas putida P45 + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B17 (consortia 2) significantly improved the seed and stover yield of kharif sorghum vis-à-vis uninoculated control under rainfed conditions. Similarly, seed + soil application of both the consortia also led to significant improvement in available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, available Zn, available Fe, available Mn and available Cu in soil as compared to uninoculated control.