Co-inoculation of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and certain species of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) help to bring the poorly soluble nutrients into the soil solution, thus enhancing nutrient uptake. The present investigation was carried out with objectives to study the effect of co-inoculation of AMF and PGPR (viz. Burkholderia cepacia and Azospirillum brasilense) on soil Zn fractions and Zn uptake by maize. A field experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design with 9 treatments, each replicated thrice. The treatments included an absolute control and 100 % recommended fertilizer dose along with different combinations of AMF with PGPR at varied P doses. Laboratory analysis of experimental soil for Zn fractions and plant-available Zn was done at 2 stages viz., at flowering and after harvesting. Results from the experiment obtained at both the stages show highest values for grain Zn content (52.58 mg kg -1 ) and its uptake (0.390 kg ha -1 ) under the treatment where AMF@10kg/ha + Burkholderia cepacia @20g/kg seed + Azospirillum brasilense @20 g/kg seed + 75%P was used. Residual fraction of Zn comprised of more than 80 % of total soil Zn while water soluble-exchangeable Zn accounted for the least (about 1%). The co-inoculation treatments had a significant effect on the water soluble-exchangeable and organically bound Zn, while the oxide bound Zn fractions had higher values in the non-organic treatments i.e. Control (13.4 mg kg -1 ) and 100% RDF (12.9 mg kg -1 ). The results for co-inoculation effects can be considered as possible strategies towards improving Zn nutrition to plants.
The North-Eastern part of India contains seven states out of which, Assam is the major producer of arecanut. An attempt was made to study the impact of arecanut based multiple cropping system with proper utilization of recyclable resources on the long-term sustainability of acid soil at Kahikuchi. A long term arecanut based High-Density Multispecies Cropping System garden comprised of two models viz., Model-1 (M1): arecanut (Areca catechu), black pepper (Piper nigrum), banana (Musa spp.), citrus (Citrus limon) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and Model-2 (M2): arecanut, black pepper, banana, citrus and nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) as component crops was used. Both the models were sub-divided into three treatments viz., Full dose of recommended fertiliser (T1), 2/3rd of the recommended dose (T2) and 1/3rd of the recommended dose (T3) combined with treatment-wise recycling available biomass in the form of vermicompost and each treatment was replicated thrice. The results indicated that the quantity of recyclable biomass generated ranged between 8.27 to 12.23 t ha-1 year-1 and 8.11 to 12.38 t ha-1 year-1 in model-1 and model-2, respectively and revealed that the T2 treatment in both models improved the soil properties with respect to soil pH, organic carbon, available N, P and K status. Economics of the cropping system revealed that the maximum return was obtained from both Models under T2. The average benefit:cost ratio of T1, T2 & T3 was 3.38, 4.42 & 3.47 under model-1 and 3.34, 4.08 and 3.40 under model-2, respectively. Sustenance of soil pH above 5.0 over the years in the arecanut rhizosphere in both the models were found under T2, but T1 and T3 treatments showed a slow declining of pH towards increasing soil acidity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.