Effect of microbial inoculants on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annum L.) under moisture deficit conditions

Abstract

A pot experiment entitled “Effect of microbial inoculants on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annum L.) under moisture deficit conditions.” was carried out in the Division of Basic Sciences & Humanities Faculty of Horticulture SKUAST-K to evaluate the role of individual and combined applications of different microbial strains like AM fungus, PSB, KSB and ZnSB in chilli under moisture deficit conditions (MDC) (60% FC). The results of the study revealed that growth and yield parameters of chilli showed a significant reduction under MDC (T1) as compared to control (T0) (100% FC). Inoculation with different microbial strains significantly improved all the examined parameters in chilli as compared to control as well as MDC. Among the different microbial strains used in the experiment, the combined application of AM, PSB, KSB and ZnSB (T6) proved to be the best in terms of significantly enhancing most of the studied parameters of chilli as compared to control or MDC. Among the parameters that enhanced due to combined inoculation of microbial strains plant height, root biomass, total plant dry weight, total leaf area, number of fruits, fruit weight and yield showed a respective increase of 18.8, 69.6, 77.3, 34.0, 67.0, 48.2, 82.91, as compared to T1.