*Division of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar-190 025, Jammu & Kashmir (India). E-mail: mehraj547@rediffmail.com
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Nagpur -141 001, Maharashtra (India)
Online published on 26 March, 2015.
The present study was aimed to assess the effect of two biofertilizers namely Azotobacter chroococcum and Bacillus polymyxa, used as seed or soil treatment in bamboo. The results revealed that seed germination in different treatments enhanced by 2.85 to 12.85% over untreated control with maximum germination of 79% in T3 (seed treatment with A. chroococcum + B. polymyxa). The shoot length in treated plants ranged from 5.83 to 12.47 cm and 7.31 to 15.10 cm after 45 and 60 days of sowing, respectively. T3 was most effective in enhancing shoot length (12.47 and 15.0 cm) followed T6 by (12.11 and 14.56 cm) after 45 and 60 days of sowing, respectively. Root length also showed significant increase with maximum in T3 followed by T6. Maximum bamboo plant fresh weight of 343.3 and 415.7 mg was seen in T3 followed by T6 (296.7 and 362.33 mg) after 45 and 60 days of sowing, respectively. Maximum dry matter (135.66 and 153.33 mg) was found in T3 followed by T6 (111.00 and 126.66 mg) after 45 and 60 days of sowing, respectively. The residual nitrogen leftover in soil after uprooting the plants ranged from 245.65 to 428.58 kg/ha in different treatments. The maximum residual nitrogen (428.58 kg/ha) was leftover in T3 followed by T6 (418.13 kg/ha) after 60 days of sowing. The residual phosphorus leftover also varied in different treatments from 30.68 to 38.25 kg/ha. The maximum residual phosphorus (38.25 kg/ha) was leftover in T7 followed by T4 (soil treatment with A. chroococcum) (36.81 kg/ha) after 60 days of sowing.
Azotobacter chroococcum, bamboo, Bambusa species, Bacillus polymyxa, forest nursery
