Crop improvement and root rot suppression by seed bacterization in chickpea

Field experiments were conducted at the Regional Research Station, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Bawal, India, to evaluate the contribution of different bioinoculants in terms of nodule number, nodule biomass, root rot incidence and seed yield in chickpea. Nodule number and biomass were positively affected by the application of bioinoculants. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) alone or in combination with bioinoculants reduced plant mortality and increased seed yield of the crop. Seed yield at 50% fertilizer dose (RF) plus all the three inoculants was at a maximum during all the three years of experimentation.