Impact of microbial inoculants and inorganic fertilizer on physico-chemical properties of soil under cotton

The present field experiment was undertaken at Research Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Vasantarao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during Kharif season of 2023. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with two factors and three replications. The present investigation was carried out by the use of inorganic fertilizer and microbial inoculants. Treatment consists of four levels of microbial inoculants and four levels of inorganic fertilizer. Treatment comprises: T1 (M0F0 - Absolute control), T2 (M0F1- No microbial inoculant + 100% RDF), T3 (M0F2- No microbial inoculant + 80% RDF) T4 (M0F3 - No microbial inoculant + 60% RDF), T5 (M1F0 - Azotobacter chroccocum + No fertilizer), T6 (M1F1- Azotobacter chroccocum + 100% RDF), T7 (M1F2 - Azotobacter chroccocum + 80% RDF), T8 (M1F3 - Azotobacter chroccocum + 60% RDF), T9 (M2F0 Bacillus megaterium + No fertilizer), T10 (M2F1 - Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF), T11 (M2F2 - Bacillus megaterium + 80% RDF), T12 (M2F3 - Bacillus megaterium + 60% RDF), T13 (M3F0 - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + No fertilizer), T14 (M3F1 - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF), T15 (M3F2 - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 80% RDF), T16 (M3F3 - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 60% RDF). Seed treatment of cotton was done with microbial inoculants consortia @ 20 ml kg-1 seed and application was done at the time of sowing with recommended dose of fertilizers. Among all the treatments, T14 (M3F1 - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF) noted significantly higher seed cotton yield and dry matter yield of cotton. Furthermore, total uptake of NPK was found significantly higher with T14 (M3F1 - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF). Study concludes that recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers with microbial inoculants helped in improving yield and nutrient content in plants and yield of cotton grown in Vertisol.