INFLUENCE OF AZOTOBACTER ON ENHANCING SEEDLING VIGOUR IN ORYZA SATIVA

V. VANITHA¹, K. KUMUTHA²*, M. SENTHILKUMAR³, C. VANNIARAJAN^4
1Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, 625 104, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, India
²Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, 625 104, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, India
³Agricultural College and Research Institute, Eachangkottai, Thanjavur, 614 902, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
⁴Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, 625 104, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
* Corresponding Author : kkumuthatnau@gmail.com

Received : 25-06-2019     Accepted : 12-07-2019     Published : 15-07-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 13       Pages : 8692 - 8696
Int J Agr Sci 11.13 (2019):8692-8696

Keywords : Azotobacter, Seed Germination, Plant Growth Promoting Traits, Vigour
Academic Editor : Dr N Umashankar Kumar
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, 625 104, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Azotobacter plays an important role in increasing the development and physical conditions of plants. It improves seed germination and has beneficial response on Crop Growth Rate (CGR) and helps to increase nutrient uptake and ultimately boost up BNF. In this study 16 rhizosphere soil samples were collected from Cuddalore and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu. The soil physico chemical properties were analysed and totally 16 isolates were obtained. The isolates were characterized for fermentation of carbohydrates, starch hydrolysis, catalase and citrate utilization. They were screened for plant growth promoting traits such as IAA, PO4 solubilization, gibberlic acid production and siderophore production. Among the isolates, MAZO 13 produced higher amount of IAA (6.1±0.08µg/ml);higher degree of PO4 solubilization (8.12±0.10g/l) and gibberlic acid production (19.11±0.39µg/ml). All the isolates showed positive for siderophore production. The isolate MAZO13 significantly increased the seed germination, plant growth and vigour of the rice seedlings (with 65.8% increase) over uninoculated control. Hence this can be considered for inoculation to enhance the germination and early vigour of the rice seedlings, which will improve the survival and establishment in the main field.

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