No abstract

No abstract

Co-inoculation of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and certain species of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) help to bring the poorly soluble nutrients into the soil solution, thus enhancing nutrient uptake. The present investigation was carried out with objectives to study the effect of co-inoculation of AMF and PGPR (viz. Burkholderia cepacia and Azospirillum brasilense) on soil Zn fractions and Zn uptake by maize. A field experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design with 9 treatments, each replicated thrice. The treatments included an absolute control and 100 % recommended fertilizer dose along with different combinations of AMF with PGPR at varied P doses. Laboratory analysis of experimental soil for Zn fractions and plant-available Zn was done at 2 stages viz., at flowering and after harvesting. Results from the experiment obtained at both the stages show highest values for grain Zn content (52.58 mg kg -1 ) and its uptake (0.390 kg ha -1 ) under the treatment where AMF@10kg/ha + Burkholderia cepacia @20g/kg seed + Azospirillum brasilense @20 g/kg seed + 75%P was used. Residual fraction of Zn comprised of more than 80 % of total soil Zn while water soluble-exchangeable Zn accounted for the least (about 1%). The co-inoculation treatments had a significant effect on the water soluble-exchangeable and organically bound Zn, while the oxide bound Zn fractions had higher values in the non-organic treatments i.e. Control (13.4 mg kg -1 ) and 100% RDF (12.9 mg kg -1 ). The results for co-inoculation effects can be considered as possible strategies towards improving Zn nutrition to plants.

Lentil is one of the early domesticated species belongs to genus Lens of the Fabaceae family. Among all the biotic factors, weed infestation is being an adverse impact on growth and yield due to lentil short stature, low branching, lack of protective canopy and it's unable to smother the weeds. Although, applying pre emergence herbicides, in many circumstances early weed control herbicides are not that much efficient for attaining higher yields due to lentil is long duration crop and critical weed competition upto 40-60 DAS. Sequence use of pre and post-emergence herbicides and application of post-emergence herbicides may help in controlling the weeds at later stages of crop growth period. Therefore, the experiment was initiated to find out best weed control practices among 13 treatments considered in this research to get higher yields in lentil. Out of 13 treatments, weed free treatment produced significantly higher grain yield and straw yield and pendimethalin fb quizalofop-ethyl + imazethapyr and oxyflurofen fb quizalofop-ethyl + imazethapyr were statistically at par with weed free treatment. Weed densities and biomass of different weeds were recorded significantly lower in pendimethalin fb quizalofop-ethyl + imazethapyr, oxyflurofen fb quizalofop-ethyl + imazethapyr and imazethapyr + imazomox at 60 DAS and at harvest. Ultimately, it can be concluded that, application of pendimethalin fb quizalofop-ethyl + imazethapyr and oxyflurofen fb quizalofop-ethyl + imazethapyr in lentil brings in enhancing grain yield and achieving more net returns apart from suppressing the weeds through higher weed control efficiency and lower weed index.

No abstract