Plant Growth, Nodulation, Soil Biological Properties, Nutrient Content, Uptake and Yield of Black Gram (Vigna mungo L.) as Influenced with Co-Inoculation of Rhizobium bengladensis and Pseudomonas sp. under Low Phosphorus Soil

The study aimed to examine the inoculation of Rhizobium bengladensis and Pseudomonas sp. on the nodulation, growth, enzymatic activity, phosphorus uptake and yield of black gram in P deficient soil. The experimental findings revealed that the combined inoculation of Rhizobium bengladensis @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+Pseudomonas sp. @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+75% NP +100% K yielded the highest nodulation (42), plant height (43 cm plant-1), available N (154.96 kg ha-1), available P (16.77 kg ha-1), available K (278.20 kg ha-1). This treatment was also found statistically (p≤0.05) at par with the application of Pseudomonas sp. @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+ 75% P+100% NK for root nodulation, plant height, available NPK. As for grain and straw, the nutrient content showed non-significant effects for all the treatments while the nutrient uptake was observed to be highest in the treatment including the combined inoculation of Rhizobium bengladensis @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+Pseudomonas sp. @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+75% NP+100% K. The grain yield (11.83 q ha-1), stover yield (26.70 q ha-1) and biological yield (38.53 q ha-1) was found to be highest in the treatment including combined inoculation of Rhizobium bengladensis @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+ Pseudomonas sp. @ 10 ml kg-1 seed+75% NP+100% K. Hence, these inoculants can be recommended to increase the yield of black gram while mitigating the effect of P deficiency in low P soil.