ROLE OF INOCULATION WITH PHOSPHOROUS SOLUBILIZING BACTERIA ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF FODDER MAIZE

Abstract

Phosphorus is one of the primary nutrients for plants which influence their yield and quality. Effect of inoculation with phosphorous solubilizing bacteria and different levels of phosphorous application on fodder yield, growth and quality of maize was evaluated in a field experiment at Agronomy Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad in the month of February, 2012. The experiment comprised of phosphorous levels as 24, 36, 48 and 60 kg ha^-1and seed inoculation with phosphorous solubilizing bacteria keeping un-inoculated seeds as control treatment. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with factorial arrangement using three replications. The application of phosphorous significantly improved the growth, yield and quality of maize forage. The maximum green forage yield (63.15 t ha^-1) was recorded with phosphors @ 60 kg ha^-1. Seed inoculation had a significant influence on plant height, leaf area per plant, stem diameter, fresh weight per plant and forage yield. The maximum green forage yield (58.10 t ha^-1) was obtained when seeds were inoculated with Azosprillum spp. Phosphorus application at the rate of 60 kg ha^-1 to maize crop raised from inoculated seed with phosphorus solubilizing microbial inoculation seems to be the optimum dose for obtaining higher maize forage yield having good quality.