Effect of Combined Inoculation of Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria and Endomycorrhizae Fungi on Microbial Population and NPK Uptake by Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Crop

Aim: To study the response of co-inoculation of Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to microbial population of soil and nutrient uptake by wheat crop .

Study Design: The used design was completely randomized design with three replications.

Place of Study: The pot experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2017 taking wheat (cv. HD 2967) as test crop in experimental unit of the department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, Bhagalpur (Bihar).

Methodology: The present study includes eight treatments with three replications. N P K uptake by wheat crop was measured from each treatment and microbial populations of soil were determined from the rhizospheric soils collected from each treatment by using standard protocol.

Results: Maximum microbial population viz., Bacteria, Actinomycetes, Fungi (39.00, 21.33, 24.66 CFU × 105g-1 oven dry soil) were recorded under treatment T4 (T1+PSB @ 20 g kg-1 seed+AM fungi @ 5.0 g pot-1) for bacteria and actinomycetes and T3 (T1+AM fungi @ 5.0 g pot-1) for fungi, at flowering stage and similar trend was followed at harvesting stage. The treatment T4 significantly increased available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil as well as also contributed to comparatively better plant growth and higher uptake of N, P and K by grain and shoot. The maximum N, P and K content of wheat was also recorded under treatment T4 which was found to be most effective in modifying soil microbial population, microbial community structure and grain yield of wheat crop.

Conclusion: Application of co-inoculation of Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance the microbial population and N P K uptake from soil by wheat crop.