Effect of fertilizer levels and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizomicrobial Consortia (PGPR) on growth and yield of Green gram (Vigna Radiata L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2021 at the College of Agriculture, Shivamogga, to evaluate the effects of varying fertilizer levels integrated with plant growth-promoting rhizomicrobial consortia (PGPR) in solid and liquid formulations on the growth and yield of green gram (Vigna radiata L.). The study was conducted in a randomized complete block design with nine treatments replicated three times. Treatments consisted of different fertiliser doses combined with PGPR formulations. Results revealed that the integrated application of fertilizers and PGPR significantly influenced growth and yield parameters. The treatment receiving 125% RDF + liquid formulation of PGPR recorded the highest values for key growth attributes, including plant height (55.09 cm), number of branches (9.46) and total dry matter production (21.89 g plant⁻¹) at harvest. Yield-contributing characters were also superior under this treatment with number of pods plant⁻¹ (25.60), pod length (8.92 cm), number of seeds pod⁻¹ (13.55), seed yield (1015.82 kg ha⁻¹) and haulm yield (1649.92 kg ha⁻¹) being significantly higher than the package of practices. This integrated approach resulted in a substantial increase in seed yield by 17.41% over the standard package of practices. These findings demonstrate that combining 125% RDF with liquid PGPR formulation enhances growth, yield attributes and overall productivity of green gram offering a promising strategy for sustainable nutrient management and improved crop performance.