Effect of bacterial inoculants on growth characteristics of Saccharum spp.

A study was conducted to elucidate the effect of bacterial inoculants belonging to Azotobacter and Pseudomonas group on growth characteristics of Saccharum spp. Bacterial inoculants differentially influenced plant weight, shoot/root ratio, leaf lamina/leaf sheath ratio and partitioning of dry matter to various plant parts. However, the Pseudomonas fluorescence isolate PGr6 and Azotobacter chrococcum isolate Ac3 appeared to be more effective in influencing total plant weight. The increase in plant weight was associated with increased shoot/root ratio due to increased shoot biomass with no appreciable change in root biomass. The Saccharum genotypes differed in their response to various bacterial inoculants and the same bacterial inoculants may not be equally effective in influencing plant growth parameters.