PHOSPHORUS NUTRITION OF MUNGBEAN (Vigna Radiata L.) IN RELATION TO MYCORHIZOBACTERIAL INOCULATION

Abstract

Microbial phosphate solubilization substantially supplements chemical phosphatic fertilization. Pakistani soils are generally P-deficient and require adequate P fertilization. However, due to very low P-use-efficiency, it becomes indispensable to device workable strategies to address these issues. We conducted a field experiment to compare the response of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) to ACC-deaminase, phosphate-solubilizing rhizobacteria (PSRB), Pseudomonas fluorescens and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi under varying levels of inorganic P (P1 = No P fertilizer, i.e. control, P2 = 30.0 kg P ha-1, and P3 = 60.0 kg P ha-1). We noted that mungbean showed significant enhancements in various plant attributes when supplied with P nutrition ranging from 8.2 to 45.9% at 50% recommended P fertilizer dose, i.e. 30 kg P ha-1 and 17.8 to 76.1% at 100% recommended P fertilizer dose, i.e. 60 kg P ha-1. In comparison to 30 kg P ha-1, 60 kg P ha-1 significantly increased (1.6 to 3.9 times) plant traits of mungbean. Microbial inoculants showed positive effects, with P. fluorescens increasing plant attributes from 5.2 to 31.2%, and AM fungi Glomus mossaea from 13.5 to 40.0%. The mycorrhizal inoculation was significantly better than rhizobacterial inoculation, with enhancements of 1.2 to 2.7 times in various growth attributes of mungbean. We conclude that microbial inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was found to be more efficient than rhizobacterial inoculation