INTRODUCTION

Biofertilizers are one of the important beneficial microor- ganisms used in promoting plant growth and productiv- ity. The concept of mixed nutrient management system as

ARTICLE INFORMATION:

*Corresponding Author Received 24th April, 2014

Accepted after revision 22nd June, 2014 BBRC Print ISSN: 0974-6455 Online ISSN: 2321-4007

©A Society of Science and Nature Publication, 2014. All rights reserved.

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proposed by Adesemoye and Kloepper, (2009) relating to the use of biofrtilizers combination to stimulate uptake of nutrients remains very important. Rhizobium and Azoto- bacter interact with a wide range of other soil microor- ganisms in the rhizosphere of plants. These interactions

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Siddiqui, Shivle, Magodiya and Tiwari

may be either stimulatory or inhibitory. These are stimu- latory when they increase the growth response of the host in the presence of other microorganisms and inhibitory when they control soil borne pathogens (Kennedy and Islam, 2001; Nosheen, 2011).

Azotobacter and Rhizobium are known to be good nonsymbiotic and symbiotic nitrogen fixers, respec- tively. Apart from its nitrogen fixing ability, Azotobacter is also known to synthesize certain growth promoting substances (Mishustin, 1963; Jones and Greaves, 1943; Brown and Walker, 1970). The idea behind the con- cept of mixed inoculation is that if Azotobacter, with the help of the production of auxins and gibberellins could stimulate the root growth and elongation, it would be presenting more area for rhizobia to infect the root system, thereby bringing about more nodulation, nitro- gen fixation and yield of crop (Verma et al., 2012 and Parveen et al., 2013). Therefore, a study was undertaken to find out the efficiency of Rhizobium and Azotobacter inoculation on nodulation, nitrogen fixation and yield of Pigeon pea (Parveen et al., 2010).

soil. The soil was basal dressed, with urea and super- phosphate at 20 kilogram nitrogen and 40 kilo gram Phosphate per hectare respectively (Nakul, 1990). Two strains of Rhizobium species viz., RS.C-111 and RS.C-112 respectively and two strain of Azotobacter chroococcum viz., AC.C-111 and AC.C-112 were selected. Rhizobium species strains were maintained on yeast extract man- nitol agar medium and Azotobacter chroococcum strain was maintained on Ashby’s nitrogen free agar medium. After an incubation period of 10 days the bacterial inoculants were used for seed treatment. 2 ml of bacte- rial suspension and 5 mile liter of sticker solution were added to 10 seeds in a beaker and thoroughly shaken. Bacterial treatment was done just before sowing. The seeds of Chick pea (Cicer aeritinum) were sown at 10 kilogram in each pot. A few were uprooted for study of nodulation at 45 days after sowing, while at harvest the grain yield was recorded. The data were analyzed statis- tically and compared at 5% level of significance.

.D. at 5% 24.8046 24.0206 28.0275

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The experiments conducted under laboratory conditions in earthen pots of 21.5 to 22cm. inner diameter size were filled with 10.0 kg of experimental sterilized soil. The soil used in the experiment was collected from Delmi form, Biotech Research Center, district Dhar (M.P.). The characteristics of the soil were pH, 7.40; soluble salt (E.C.) 59 m. mhos/cm., organic carbon, 0.97%, available phosphorus 82.4 kilo gram per hectare and available potash 436 kilo gram per hectare. The soil was sterilized in an autoclave and then it was used for experiment. Pot culture trial was conducted on Chick pea (Cicer aeriti- num) using high yielding variety. Data are average of five plants grown in three pots with 8 treatments (table- 2) replicated four times was carried out in medium black

ESULTS AND DIS USSION

The data on nodulation, total dry weight and grain yield presented in (Table-2) It was found to be statistically significant. The data reflect that the increase in nodula- tion, , dry weight and grain yield among the different test strain under study ranged from 49.2% to 14.5% test strain ranged AC.C-112+RS.C-112 (49.2%), AC.C-111+RS.C-112 (45.8%), AC.C-112+RS.C-111 (40.0%), AC.C-111+RS.C-111 (35.0%), RS.C-112 (30.8%), RS.C-111 (25.6%), AC.C-112 (20.0%) and AC.C-111 (14.5%) showed maximum increase in nodulation, dry weight and grain yield. Co-inoculation can be exploited as biofertilizer for better yield (Siddiqui et al., 2001 and Elkoca et al., 2007).

Azotobacter chroococcum (AC.C-112) along with Rhizobium species strain (RS.C-112) increased nodula- tion, dry weight and grain yield (49.2 %) significantly over control, indicating beneficial effect of the mixed inoculum of Azotobacter chroococcum with Rhizobium species (AC.C-112+RS.C-112). The beneficial effect of Azotobacter chroococcum on Rhizobium species and plant might be attributed to the synthesis of growth pro- moting substances like auxine, indole 1-3 acetic acid and gibberrelin by Azotobacter chroococcum (Sarig et al., 1986; Brown and Walkar, 1970) possibly helpful in the nodulation process. Increase in nitrogen content is due to increased population of Rhizobium by Azoto- bacter (Wigeleva, 1954 and Arora, 1971).

The benifites of mixed nutrient management system to different cropping system have been further discussed by other authors (Maeshwari et al., 2011). Maximizing the impacts of beneficial microbes towards enhancing the response of plant to environmental stress (Egamber- dieva, 2011) is also very important.

CONCLUSION

Azotobacter chroococcum (AC.C-112) along with Rhizo- bium species strain (RS.C-112) increased nodulation, dry weight and grain yield (49.2 %) significantly over control, indicating beneficial effect of the mixed inocu- lum of Azotobacter chroococcum with Rhizobium species (AC.C-112+RS.C-112).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are thankful to Managing Director, M.P. State Oil Federation, Dhar for providing laboratory facilities.

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