Sprouting survival and growth of young sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) treated with diazotrophic bacteria (Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus)
2012
de la Cruz, C.P.P., Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines). Inst. of Biological Sciences | Bird, C.O. | Isulat, M.D., University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City 6100, Negros Occidental (Philippines). Dept. of Natural Sciences
Sprouting, survival and growth of young sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L. var. VMC-86-550) treated with the nitrogen-fixing endophyte Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus was investigated. Nine treatments were laid out in a split-plot design with three levels of microbial concentration (10 sup 8, 10 sup 10, and 10 sup 12 cells/L) for the main plot and three methods of inoculation (spraying, soaking and dipping) for the subplot. Inoculated plants showed significant increase in % survival, plant height and shoot/root biomass compared with the inoculated control at 45 d after planting (DAP). However, no significant differences were observed in % sprouting between inoculated plants and the uninoculated control at 30 DAP. Introduction of the microbial inoculant at 10 sup 12 cells/mL by means of the dipping method had constantly yielded taller plants with greater shoot and root biomass relative to the other treatments and the uninoculated control. Interaction effects of the dipping method and 10 sup 12 cells/mL of microbial concentration might have delivered optimum amount of bacteria into the setts, hence, significant improvement in growth parameters of the resulting plantlets. This experiment shows the potential use of G. diazotrophicus in the development of a cost-effective technology in sugarcane production.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by University of the Philippines at Los Baños