Journal of Environmental Biology

Performance of fenugreek bioinoculated with Rhizobium meliloti

strains under semi-arid condition

N.K. Singh* and D.B. Patel

Department of Microbiology, C.P. College of Agriculture, S.D. Agricultural University, S.K. Nagar-385 506, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: nirbhaysingh78@gmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

29 May 2014

Revised received:

01 November 2014

Accepted:

15 January 2015

Abstract

Rhizobium meliloti strains were isolated from the fields of S.D. Agricultural University (Gujarat, India) and were maintained in the Congo Red Yeast Extract Mannitol Agar medium. These strains were tested for their effectiveness for fenugreek crop grown under semi-arid condition. Among the six Rhizobium strains, FRS-7 strain showed best plant growth parameters like shoot length, shoot dry weight, shoot total nitrogen, root length, root dry weight, root total nitrogen, seed yield, 1000 grain weight, number of root nodules, and nodules fresh and dry weight. The performance of this strain was better as compared to 20 kgN ha^-1 treatment? through urea and was even far better over control plot. Seed yields obtained with FRS-7 during two years were 10.14 and 9.66 q ha^-1; which was about 36.8% and 45.9% high over control. This strain resulted in saving of about 20 kgN ha^-1 accompanied with better crop yield and soil health. Results of the present experiments can be utilized in integrated nutrient management for cultivation of fenugreek in semi-arid areas to provide sustainability to agricultural productivity in such regions.   

 Key words

Bacterization, Bioinoculants, Fenugreek, Rhizobium meliloti 

Copyright ? 2016 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).