Growth and chemical properties of rice cultivar Pyari as influenced by Azotobactervinelandii strain SRIAz3 and N-source

Abstract

The effect of Azotobacter vinelandii strain SRIAz3 and N-source on growth and post harvest soil chemical properties of rice was investigated. A. vinelandii strain SRIAz3 was isolated from SRI Field (Central Farm, OUAT, Bhubaneswar). The experiment was carried out in a randomised complete block design ( RCBD) with 3 replications and 8 treatments namely Control, N1 (50% N), N2 (75% N), N3 (100% N), A. vinelandii strain SRIAz3, A. vinelandii strain SRIAz3 + N1, A. vinelandii strain SRIAz3 + N2 and A. vinelandii strain SRIAz3 + N3 from T1 to T8 respectively. Result of post-harvest soil chemical properties revealed that soil pH raised from 4.57 to 5.26 being highest with T7 (5.26) and lowest with T1 (5.09), soil organic carbon status from 0.68 to 0.78 being highest with T8 (0.78) and lowest with T1 (0.42), soil available nitrogen increased from a range of 143.0 - 179.6 to 112.8- 227.6 kg ha-1 being highest with T8 (227.6 Kg ha-1) and lowest with T1 (112.8 Kg ha-1), soil available phosphorous increased from a range of 7.14 - 9.59 to 10.18-15.80 kg ha-1 being highest with T5 (15.80 kg ha-1) and lowest with T1 (10.18 kg ha-1) and soil available potassium increased from a range of 139.21 - 153.32 to 148.96 - 189.84 kg ha-1 being highest with T8 (189.84kg ha-1) and lowest with T1 (148.96 kg ha-1) likewise result of plant growth parameterslike Chlorophyll content, plant height (cm) and no. of tillers per plant at 45 DAT and 90 DAT revealed that T7 recorded highest chlorophyll content 47.10 (90 DAT) followed by the treatment T6(46.94 90 DAT ), T8 recorded highest plant height (88.25cm ) followed by T7 (74.00 cm ) at harvest and T7 recorded highest no. of tillers per hill (14.35) at 45 DAT where as T5 recorded highest no. of tillers per hill (18.25) at harvest. To conclude, use of Azotobacter vinelandii strain SRIAz3 isolated from SRI Field (Central Farm, OUAT, Bhubaneswar) as biofertilizer significantly influenced post harvest soil chemical properties, which consequently enhanced the growth parameters of rice cultivar Pyari.