ARVIND KUMAR, P. R.*, CHANNAKESHAVA, B. C ASHOK SURWENSHI, PRASHANT MANGALGIKAR AND SIDDARUDH SINGADI
Department of Seed Science and Technology, GKVK, Bangalore (Karanataka), India
Department of Seed Science and Technology, GKVK, Bangalore (Karanataka), India
Department of Plant Physiology, UHS, Bagalkote (Karanataka), India
Department of Agriculture Entomology, UHS, Bagalkote (Karanataka), India
Department of Seed Science and technology, UAHS, Shivamogga (Karanataka), India
*College of Horticulture, Bidar, UHS, Bagalkote (Karanataka), India
*(e-mail: arvindkrathod09@gmail.com)
(Accepted : 24 August 2023; Accepted : 20 September 2023)
SUMMARY
An experiment was carried out at the department of Seed Science and Technology (E-block) Eastern Dry Zone of College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru to find out the efficacy of bio- inoculants seed treatments on crop growth, seed yield, and quality attributes of alfalfa. The results on growth parameters viz., the highest plant height (87.33 cm and 84.50 cm), chlorophyll content (42.57 and 48.59 SPAD value), the total number of pods per plant (149.67 and 154.56), number of filled seeds per pod (4.11 and 5.33), seed yield (180.54 and 256.15 kg ha-1) and seed test weight (3.246 and 3.340 g) recorded in seed treated with a recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) 20:100:40 NPK kg ha-1 + Pseudomonas fluorescens + FYM treatment. Whereas the number of nodules per plant (4.33 and 4.44) was recorded highest in 10:100:40 NPK kg ha-1 + Rhizobium meliloti + FYM both during kharif and rabi season. Among seed, quality attributes the seed germination percentage (92.00 and 92.78 %), seedling dry weight (349.14 & 424.83 mg), Seedling Vigor Index (1001 and 1287), the electrical conductivity (0.2800 and 0.2704 dSm-1) and total dehydrogenase enzyme activity (1.078 and 1.083 OD value), recorded highest in 20:100:40 NPK kg ha-1 + Pseudomonas fluorescens + FYM. Whereas, the seed crude protein content (19.19 and 19.22 %) was recorded highest in seeds treated with Rhizobium meliloti + Bacillus megaterium + VAM Fungi + Frateuria aurantia + Pseudomonas fluorescens + FYM over the other treatment combinations during kharif and rabi season respectively.
Key words: alfalfa, root nodules, seedling vigour index