The influence of rhizobia and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi co-inoculation on growth and yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in the greenhouse and the field

Abstract

The use of chemical inputs in agriculture has a negative influence on the environment. Application of chemical fertilizers (F) can be reduced by using bio-fertilizers like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) and Rhizobium (R). Chick pea was co-inoculated and grown in the greenhouse and in the field to investigate their effect on growth and yield. All assessed plant growth parameters were found to be highest in plants treated with AMF and Rhizobium after three months of growth. Plants treated with R+AMF+F had greater average shoot length, stem girth, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, shoot fresh weight, branch per plant, and number of pods than those treated with R+M. However, R+M had a higher number of nodules than R+AMF+F in the greenhouse, and for co-inoculation in the field, indigenous rhizobium and AMF with fertilizer application had the highest shoot length (82.0±2.3), number of pods (75.0±2.6), dry weight (109.5±11.2), 100 seed weight (14.2±0.2), and husk weight (12.06±0.2) when compared to the control. Furthermore, root colonization ranged from 63.7±2.9% to 85.0±8.1% for all AMF infected treatments. In the green house, the maximum spore density (560.0±17.3 spore/50g dry soil) was recorded for solitary mycorrhiza inoculated chickpea. As a result, it is determined that dual inoculation of the pulse with AMF and Rhizobium, both with and without NPK treatment, increased growth and production. This suggests that smallholder farmers may be able to use bio-inoculants to boost chickpea output.