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Asian Journal of Plant Sciences

Year: 2010 | Volume: 9 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 344-350
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Authors

S. Agarwal

Z. Ahmad

Keywords

Research Article

Contribution of the Rhizobium Inoculation on Plant Growth and Productivity of Two Cultivars of Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) in Saline Soil

S. Agarwal and Z. Ahmad
The present study was undertaken on the interactive effect of Rhizobium seed culture treatment and saline irrigation on the plant growth and productivity (fodder/biological yield) in two cultivars (WARDAN and BB 2) of berseem. The experiment was conducted following completely randomized block design method considering three replicates and data were subjected to statistical analysis of variance using three factorial randomized design method. Two sets of plots were maintained in which one set contained non-inoculated while another set contained inoculated seeds with Rhizobium culture, which were irrigated with saline waters of different electrical conductivities (0, 3, 6, 7.2, 10, 12 and 14 dS m-1). The observations were recorded at two durations i.e., 90 and 120 DAS. The plant growth has been enhanced at lower levels of salinity (3 to 7.2 dS m-1) and invariably inhibited at 10 dS m-1 and beyond. Inoculation with Rhizobium culture had expressed synergistic effects on growth and productivity at both durations particularly at lower EC levels and also minimized the deleterious effect of salinity at 10 to 14 dS m-1 to some extent. The yield characteristics (biological and fodder yield) had been differentially affected in berseem. Cv. WARDAN had registered maximum yield at the final harvest in Rhizobium inoculated sets at 3, 6 and 7.2 dS m-1. Similar findings were recorded for total green and dry weight fodder yield/plot (kg m-2). Our findings proves that cv. WARDAN might be tried on saline soils to obtain some biomass.
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