Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) on Phenological Traits, Grain Yield and Yield Components of Three Maize (Zea mays L.) Cultivars

Subject Areas : Journal of Crop Ecophysiology

عباس  Soleimani Fard ¹ (Staff Member, Department of Agriculture, University of Payame Nour, Tehran, Iran)
H.  Naseri Rad ² (Former Ms.c. Student of Agronomy, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran)
R.  Naseri ³ (Former Ms.c. Student of Agronomy, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran)
E.  Piri ⁴ (Assistant Prof., Department of Agriculture, University of Payame Nour, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2012-09-09 Accepted : 2013-10-30 Published : 2013-05-22

Keywords: Grain yield, Maize, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Phonologic traits,

Abstract :

To evaluate the effect of bio-fertilize on yield and its components in maize cultivars, an split plot experiment based on randomized complete bock design with three replications in was conducted in Payam-noor University of Ilam, Iran, in 2009-2010. Treatments were cultivar (SC604, SC704 and SC807) assigned to main plots and bio-fertilizer (non- inoculation, inoculation with Azetobacter, Azospirillum and dual inoculation ofAzotobacterand Azospirillum) to subplots. The effect of cultivar on days to maturity, plant height, dry matter, ear length, stem diameter, number of grain per ear row, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, biological yield and protein content was significant cultivar. SC 704 had the highest dry matter (259.5 g.m-2), plant height (201.1 cm), number of grain per ear row (42.8 grain), grain yield (10850 kg.m-2), and biological yield (22040 kg.m-2). The effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on all traits expect harvest index was significant. Dual inoculation ofAzotobacterand Azospirillum had the longest days to ear initiation (71.2 days), days to maturity (115.4 day), number of leaves above ear (5.6 ear), dry matter (240.4 g.m-2), ear length (24.3 cm), plant height (212.4 cm), seed number of rows per ear (14.5 row), number of grains per row (44.2 grain), grain yield (10190 kg.m-2), biological yield (21320 kg.m-2) and protein content (10.7%). Interaction effect of cultivar× plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on grain yield was significant. The highest and lowest grain yield was obtained from SC 704 and application of dual inoculation ofAzotobacterand Azospirillum (12320 kg.ha-1) and lowest from SC 604 when inoculation treatments were not used 7570 kg.ha-1 respectively.