Evaluation of phosphorus solubilising bacterial strain on growth and yield of Maize (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a phosphate-solubilising bacterium (PSB), designated as isolate PSB S-2, on the growth and yield parameters of maize (Zea mays L.). The isolate, initially screened and confirmed for its high phosphate solubilising efficiency under in vitro conditions, was selected for seed inoculation. The study comprised nine treatments arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. PSB S-2 was applied as a bioinoculant in combination with varying levels of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). Among the treatments, the application of PSB S-2 along with 75% RDF significantly enhanced plant growth parameters, including the number of leaves per plant and chlorophyll content. It also resulted in notable improvements in yield attributes such as the number of rows per cob, grains per row, total grains per cob, grain weight per cob, test weight, cob length, cob weight, and the number of cobs per plant. In contrast, the control treatment without any inoculant recorded the lowest values in all observed parameters. The findings suggest that PSB S-2, when combined with a reduced dose of chemical fertilizer, can effectively improve maize growth and productivity under field conditions, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.