Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Chemical Fertilizer on the Growth and Yield of Binamoog-8

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are beneficial soil born bacteria that colonize plant roots, enhancing plant health and growth, and enhance stress tolerance. The present study was conducted to evaluate comparative effects of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and chemical fertilizer on the yield and yield attributing characteristics of Mung bean (i.e. Binamoog-8). The field experiment was conducted at High Ganges River Floodplain of Bangladesh using six treatments vizs. T₁: Control, T₂: 100% recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (RCF), T₃: 50% RCF + Bacterial Strain CD1, T₄: 50% RCF + Bacterial Strain CD2A, T₅: 50% RCF + Bacterial Strain CD2B, T₆: 50% RCF+ Bacterial mixed culture of CD1, CD2A, and CD2B. Results showed significant increase in pod number and yield with inoculated treatments over uninoculated control treatment. The maximum number of pods plant^-1 (16), seed yield (1.93 t ha^-1) recorded in the treatment T₄ (50% CF + CD2A) while the minimum pods plant^-1 (13), seeds pod^-1 (1.38 t ha^-1) were recorded from control. Among six treatments, overall, the treatment T₄ (i.e 50% CF + CD2A) showed the best performance. These findings suggested that integrating PGPR inoculation with 50% recommended doses of chemical fertilizer could optimize the growth, yield of Binamoog-8. Thus, offers a sustainable strategy for reducing the dependence of chemical fertilizer without hampering productivity. Thus, our findings concluded that the strain CD2A could be used along with 50% recommended dose of chemical fertilizers offerings a sustainable strategy for reducing the dependence of chemical fertilizer without hampering Mung bean production.

Keywords: Bacterial inoculation; Plant growth; Chemical fertilization; Sustainable agriculture.