Comparative effectiveness of Enterobacter aerogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens for mitigating the depressing effect of brackish water on maize
2012
Zahir, Z.A. (University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Pakistan). Inst. of Soil and Environmental Sciences) | Akhtar, S.S. (University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Pakistan). Inst. of Soil and Environmental Sciences) | Ahmad, M. (The Islamia Univ. of Bahawalpur (Pakistan). Univ. Coll. of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences) | Saifullah (University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Pakistan). Inst. of Soil and Environmental Sciences) | Nadeem, S.M. (College of Agriculture, D.G. Khan (Pakistan))
Experiments were conducted under axenic and natural conditions to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of Enterobacter aerogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens for improving maize growth and yield irrigated with synthetic brackish water [EC, 5 dS m-1; SAR, 10 (mmol L-1)1/2]. In the first experiment under axenic conditions, normal water, brackish water and two PGPR strains (S14, E. aerogenes & S20, P. fluorescens) were tested. In the second experiment in pots, normal and brackish water irrigations at different stages of maize growth along with the same PGPR strains were tested. Brackish water significantly decreased the maize growth, whilst bacterial strains significantly reduced its adverse effects. Interestingly, inoculation was even more effective in case of brackish water as compared to normal water irrigation. In pot trial, PGPR inoculation reduced the adverse effects of salinity on maize growth and yield. The maximum improvement in growth and yield parameters was observed with S20 inoculation under brackish water treatment. The chlorophyll content and K+/Na+ ratio of maize were also improved by PGPR strain S20. It is concluded that P. fluorescens could be used as an effective tool to minimize the inhibitory effects of brackish water on the growth and yield of maize.
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