Effect of Azotobacter in Association with Other Nutrient Sources on Soil Properties in Maize (Zea mays) Field of Nawalpur, Nepal
2025
Alisha Shrestha | Soni Thapa | Ram Kumar Shrestha | Asmita Shrestha | Paras Awasthi | Samikshya Ranabhat
The modern intensive agriculture system relies on the heavy use of chemical fertilizers for food production, neglecting the health of the soil. To explore the alternative nutrient source provided by Azotobacter, a free-living nitrogen-fixing bio-fertilizer, a field experiment was conducted at the Gaindakot – 8, Nawalpur in the inner Terai of Nepal during March-June 2023 to study the effect of Azotobacter inoculation on three different maize varieties. The effect was examined on the soil fertility parameters such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus(P), Potassium(K), pH, and organic matter (O.M). Five levels of nutrient sources; Control, Farmyard Manure/FYM (10-ton ha-1), Azotobacter only, Azotobacter + FYM and Azotobacter + NPK (120:60:40 kg ha-1 RDF) varieties; Local Pahelo, Rampur Composite and Rampur Hybrid-14 were tested in Two Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Results showed a non-significant difference in the mean values of N, P, O.M., and pH whereas K content was significantly influenced under the different varieties. Rampur Hybrid-14 (256.64 kg/ha) showed the highest soil K level whereas Rampur Composite (173.12 kg/ha) showed the lowest. The highest N content was recorded in Azotobacter only (0.140%) followed by Azotobacter + FYM (0.137%) and lowest in control (0.132%). Similarly, the maximum percent of organic carbon was recorded in the nutrient source Azotobacter only (2.80) which is on par with the nutrient source Azotobacter + FYM (2.75). There was a significant influence of the FYM on the maximum residue of the Azotobacter population (180.2×10-3 cfu/gm). The status of O.M., N, P, K, and pH improved positively with the Azotobacter application.
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