Role of Cyanobacteria in Improving Fertility of Saline Soil

1 Abstract: An experiment was carried out in the saline soil of Satkhira during the aman season of 2000 in order to test the effectiveness of the cyanobacterial inoculum on soil fertility. The modern rice variety BRRldhan 31 was used as the test crop. There were six treatments for the experiment viz. T (control), 1 T (Recommended Fertilizer Dose), T (R-FD-20%N), T (RFD-2O%N+Cyanobacteria), T (RFD-40%N) and T 2 3 4 5 6 (RFD-40%N+Cyanobacteria). Eight cyanobacterial strains were isolated, identified and brought under pure unicyanobacterial cultures from the selected location. Cyanobacterial inoculum was applied @ 20 kg ha in 1 two equal splits-7 and 30 days after transplanting. Results of field trials indicated that cyanobacterial inoculum could supplement up to 20% nitrogen for rice cultivation in saline soils. Inoculation of the cyanobacterial inoculum in the saline soil resulted in an increase in organic matter, total N and available P status of the soil. Among the parameters, increase in organic matter and total N were statistically significant. Results of th e experiments clearly indicated that cyanobacterial inoculum might be used effectively for improving soil fertility of saline soil.