Multi-potent rhizobacteria enhance banana growth and reduce chemical fertilizer input.
Introduction: The present investigation isolated efficient potassium-solubilizing bacteria (KSB) from the banana rhizosphere and, along with nitrogen- and phosphorus-transforming strains from TNAU, evaluated their impact on banana growth, yield, and fertilizer reduction.Methods: Solid and liquid-based formulations using the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 (A. b Sp7), phosphorus-solubilizing bacterium Bacillus megaterium Pb1 (B. m Pb1), and the newly isolated potassium-solubilizing bacteria Agrobacterium pusense (A. p. KRBKKM1) and Bacillus paralicheniformis (B. p KRBKKM2) were prepared and used for inoculation in the field experiment. HPLC profiling of KSBs showed that A. p. KRBKKM1 produced propionic acid, and B. p KRBKKM2 produced butyric and propionic acids.
Results: Among the two formulations tested, the liquid formulation had a significantly greater influence on the yield and yield-attributing traits than the solid-based ones. Treatments consisted of 75% NPK chemical fertilizer + 2 mL A. b Sp7 + 2 mL B. m Pb1, along with 1 mL A. p. KRBKKMI and 1 mL B. p KRBKKM2 (T10-30.65 t ha−1), and 75% NPK + 2 mL A. b Sp7 + 2 mL B. m Pb1, along with 2 mL A. p. KRBKKMI and 2 mL B. p KRBKKM2 (T11-30.82 t ha−1) significant impacted the banana yield parameters.
Discussion: Principal component analysis revealed that treatments T10 and T11 positively correlated with yield-related parameters. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that crop yield was positively correlated with the bunch weight (r = 1.00***), fruit weight (r = 0.84**), and number of fingers per bunch (r = 0.76**), in both the solid and liquid formulations. In conclusion, the present investigation demonstrated a 25% reduction in chemical inputs when using NPK biofertilizers and contribute to increased agricultural productivity.
Drought stress is one of the most significant environmental factors limiting plant growth and productivity. In this regard, applying nano-fertilizers is a favorable emerging method for reducing…
Introduction: The present investigation isolated efficient potassium-solubilizing bacteria (KSB) from the banana rhizosphere and, along with nitrogen- and phosphorus-transforming strains from TNAU…
Arsenic contamination of soils and groundwater affects nearly 106 countries, exposing an estimated 230 million people worldwide to a range of health risks including cancer, cardiovascular disease…