Abstract

Impact of biovolume inocula of Azospirillum spp. on winter wheat, oat and maize in semi-arid region of North Gujarat

Author(s): Ratna Trivedi, S.A.Bhatt

Changes in biovolume inocula of Azospirillum bacteria were studied in soil underwinter wheat, oat andmaize crops. The cereal seedswere treated with fungicides and inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense actively fixing dinitrogen. Plants were grown without nitrogen fertiliser and with nitrogen application in the amount of 60 and 120 kgN ha-1 for wheat, 50 and 100 kgNha-1 for oats and 100 and 200 kgNha-1 formaize. The population number of bacteria was estimated at different developmental stages of plants. Inoculation of cereals with Azospirillum brasilense bacteria contributed to the increase of their numbers in soil. No significant influence of fungicidal seed dressings on the numbers of Azospirillum bacteria has been noted. The application ofmineral nitrogen to the cropswas favourable to multiplication of Azospirillum bacteria under plants.