The use of inorganic fertilizers in rice farming has led to increased production costs, reduced nutritional value, and it results in major ecological damage. Harnessing plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offers a promising eco‐friendly alternative to conventional fertilization strategies. This study evaluates the potential of Pseudomonas mosselii PR5 as a bioinoculant to enhance rice growth under reduced fertilizer inputs in a pot experiment. Two application methods, seed priming (B1) and seed priming combined with bacterial culture filtrate (BCF) foliar spray (B2), were evaluated across four fertilizer regimes: 0% (F0), 50% (F1), 75% (F2), and 100% (F3) of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF). Application of PR5 significantly enhanced rice growth, yield, and yield‐related traits across all fertilizer levels and application methods. At 100% RDF, the combination of seed priming with foliar application of PR5 resulted in marked increases in plant height (4.3%), biomass (64.4%), chlorophyll content (47.4%), grain yield (48%), and benefit–cost ratio (67.6%) compared to the 100% RDF alone. Notably, the combined PR5 application at 75% RDF showed similar agronomic performance and yield as in the 100% RDF treatment, indicating 25% less fertilizer requirement for maintaining crop profitability. Multivariate analysis also confirmed a strong association of grain and soil nutrients with the combined application of PR5 at 75% and 100% RDF. PR5 application also boosted both grain nutrient content and post‐harvest soil nutrient levels. Thus, this research showed that PR5 application increased crop productivity while improving grain nutritional quality and lowering the need for chemical fertilizers towards sustainable agriculture.
Partial replacement of chemical fertilizers, particularly nitrogen fertilizers, with biological fertilizers is considered an effective strategy for reducing the negative environmental impacts associated with excessive fertilizer use. This study aimed to optimize N use through the application of bacterial-based biofertilizer, specifically plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), in different maize cultivars under semi-arid conditions. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) arranged in a split-plot arrangement was used, with the three hybrids (Shahkar, Bumbus and DK 7024) assigned to the main plots and different N treatments allocated to sub-plots. The field experiment was conducted during two consecutive spring seasons (Feb to June 2024 and 2025). The N treatments were defined as follows: control, 100% recommended N (200 kg/ha), 100% N with Pseudomonas stutzeri, 100% N with Bacillus subtilis, 100% N with Enterobacter sp., 50% N with Pseudomonas stutzeri, 50% N with Bacillus subtilis, 50% N with Enterobacter sp., 100% Pseudomonas stutzeri, 100% Bacillus subtilis, and 100% Enterobacter sp. The N treatments included synthetic fertilizer alone at the 100% recommended N rate and a combination of 100%, 50% and 0% of recommended levels with three N-fixing bacterial strains. Among the hybrids, DK 7024 exhibited the highest 1000-grain weight (349 g and 362.5 g), grain yield (6756 and 6971 kg ha−1) and total dry matter (17,500 and 18,368 kg ha−1) in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Among N levels, maximum 1000-grain weight, grain yield and total dry matter were noticed in 100% N with Enterobacter sp.: 402 g, 8446 kg ha−1 and 21,656 kg ha−1 in 2024 and 421 g, 8684 kg ha−1 and 22,237 kg ha−1 in 2025. Nitrogen application increased grain yield and total dry matter production; however, the treatment combined with 100% recommended synthetic N fertilizer with biofertilizer (Enterobacter sp.) showed superior performance compared with 100% N applied through only the synthetic fertilizer. The interaction between maize hybrids and N levels was statistically non-significant, suggesting that 100% N plus biofertilizers could be an effective strategy for achieving higher yields across different maize cultivars. Additionally, the beneficial effects of PGPR may contribute to sustainable agricultural practices. Further research is recommended to evaluate strategies involving reduced-N inputs combined with biological fertilizer, including the application of 100% N with biofertilizer. The present study suggests that N application in combination with biofertilizers has the potential to improve crop growth while promoting sustainable crop production.
Sajjad Hussain, S. Qaisrani, Muhammad Mubeen et al.· Nitrogen· 0 citations
Maize is one of the most important agricultural crops globally and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where cereals are cultivated on 204,368 ha, of which 57% (116,490 ha) is dedicated to maize production. The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), such as the genera Pseudomonas and Bacillus, represents a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilizers, particularly in phosphorus-deficient soils commonly found in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A field experiment with ten fertilization treatments, arranged in a randomized block design with three replications, was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed inoculation, organic fertilization, and mineral fertilization on silage maize production. Grain yield, ear characteristics, and nutrient concentrations in maize leaves and grain were determined using standard analytical methods. The highest grain yield (15.2 t ha⁻¹) was achieved with the combined application of organic fertilization (30 t ha⁻¹) and bacterial inoculation, with a statistically significant difference compared to the control treatment. The applied fertilization treatments improved nutrient uptake and increased the content of protein, nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium in the grain, while zinc concentration generally decreased, indicating an antagonistic relationship between phosphorus and zinc. The obtained results confirm the potential of combining rhizobacterial inoculation and organic fertilization to enhance maize productivity and improve plant nutrient status.
E. Sijahović, H. Čivić, D. Gadžo et al.· Works of the Faculty of Agri...· 0 citations
Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the world's most important cereal crops, and improving its productivity while reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers has become a major goal of sustainable agriculture. The potential role of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a biofertilizer evolved as appropriate substitute to neutralize adverse environmental impacts wielded by manmade agrochemical.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis, individually and in combination, on the growth and yield of maize compared with conventional NPK fertilization.
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the 2025 growing season at the Field Crops Research Station, College of Agriculture, University of Samarra, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Six treatments were evaluated: Untreated control (T1), Pseudomonas fluorescens (T2), Bacillus subtilis (T3), combined inoculation (P. fluorescens + B. subtilis) (T4), combined inoculation with NPK fertilizer (T5), and NPK fertilizer (20:20:20) only (T6). Vegetative growth and yield-related traits were recorded and statistically analyzed.
Results: Inoculation of plants with PGPR bacteria resulted in a significant improvement in both vegetative growth and yield compared to the untreated control group. Pseudomonas fluorescens (T2) exhibited the highest vegetative growth rate, recording the highest plant height (148.00 cm), leaf area (365.00 cm²), leaf area index (2.63), and number of grains per spike (688 grains) compared control group recorded (92.33 cm), (10.67 plant⁻¹), (151.73 cm²), (0.70) respectively. Bacillus subtilis (T3), achieved the highest productivity, producing the largest number of spikes per plant (2.67 spikes) and the highest spike weight (283.50 g) compared control group recorded (2.00) and (161.60 g).
Conclusion: The use of PGPR, and especially Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis as potential biofertilisation agents is a promising sustainable alternative to chemical fertilisation that can enhance maize growth and production, while decreasing dependence on mineral fertilisers.
Waser saad Khalaf, Ahmed waleed Abdulrahman· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
Beneficial soil microorganisms offer a promising approach for enhancing soil fertility and nutrient availability while improving crop productivity and reducing dependence on mineral fertilisers. A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2023–24 at the Research Farm of the Vegetable Research Centre, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India, to evaluate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on tomato productivity and soil nutrient availability under Vertisol conditions. Twelve treatments comprising 75% of the recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF) in combination with individual or combined microbial inoculants, applied either as a seedling treatment or through soil application, were evaluated in a randomised block design with three replications. The treatment comprising 75% RDF + AMF + Pseudomonas fluorescens + Bacillus megaterium + Trichoderma viride applied through soil application (T₁₂) recorded the highest fruit yield (371.53 q ha⁻¹) and dry matter yield (46.09 q ha⁻¹), representing increases of 25.88 and 37.91% over 100% RDF, respectively. At 95 days after transplanting, T₁₂ also maintained the highest soil available N (204.20 kg ha⁻¹), P (24.90 kg ha⁻¹) and K (798.15 kg ha⁻¹), corresponding to increases of 23.36, 37.49 and 14.73%, respectively, over 100% RDF. The corresponding increases over the absolute control were 46.01, 82.95 and 31.74%. The combined soil-applied consortium consistently produced greater yield and soil nutrient availability than the corresponding seedling application, although the two application methods were statistically comparable for several attributes. Among individual microbial treatments, soil application of AMF was the most effective. The findings demonstrate that AMF–PGPR integration with 75% RDF can improve tomato productivity and maintain higher soil nutrient availability while reducing mineral fertiliser input by 25% under Vertisol conditions.
Nikita D. Pardeshi, R. Khandare, P. Nakhate et al.· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
The co-inoculation of Bacillus megaterium (CCT 2482) and Bacillus subtilis (CCT 3131) may improve plant phosphorus nutrition and agronomic performance under field conditions. This study evaluated the agronomic efficiency of co-inoculation via seed treatment, combined with different phosphate fertilizer doses, in the morphophysiological and productive performance of corn and soybean under distinct edaphoclimatic conditions. Eight trials (four per crop) were conducted during the 2023/2024 season in a randomized block design with eight treatments and four replications. In soybean, co-inoculation increased leaf phosphorus content, grain mass, number of pods per plant, thousand-grain weight, and yield, even with a 25% reduction in phosphate fertilization. In corn, it improved shoot and root biomass, grains per row, thousand-grain weight, and productivity. These results suggest that co-inoculation may contribute to phosphate fertilization management, although direct comparisons across fertilization levels indicate that its effect depends on crop, variables, and the environment. The bacterial strains exhibited strong potential for phosphate solubilization and plant growth promotion across varied environmental conditions, confirming their adaptability. Therefore, this approach may serve as a complementary strategy for phosphate fertilization management, contributing to improved agronomic performance and more sustainable agricultural production systems.
A. Zamarian, Ana Claudia Botelho, Ricardo Robson Trautmann et al.· Microorganisms· 0 citations
Rice production in the floodplain ecosystems of Bangladesh is increasingly constrained by water scarcity and declining soil fertility, necessitating sustainable and efficient management practices. This study evaluated the effects of seed priming and organic amendments on the growth, yield, water use efficiency, and soil health of dry direct-seeded winter rice (BRRI dhan88). A two-year field experiment (2023 to 2024) was conducted using 3 priming techniques: hydro-priming, halo-priming (CaCl₂), and osmo-priming (PEG 6000 w/v) in combination with organic amendments, particularly vermicompost, alongside recommended fertilizer doses. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The total number of plots was 48. Growth traits, yield components, irrigation use, and post-harvest soil properties were measured, and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess relationships among traits. Seed priming significantly improved plant growth and yield compared to unprimed seeds. Hydro-priming produced the highest grain yield (5.73 tons ha-1), exceeding the control (4.08 tons ha-1). Organic amendments, especially vermicompost, further enhanced performance, with recommended fertilizer doses (RDF)+vermicompost yielding 5.60 tons ha-1. Their combined application improved grain yield, reaching up to 6.67 tons ha-1. Organic amendments also reduced irrigation water use by up to 27%, indicating improved water use efficiency. Soil properties improved, with higher organic matter, nutrient content, and balanced pH. Overall, integrating seed priming with organic amendments, particularly vermicompost, offers a practical and sustainable approach to enhance rice productivity, conserve water, and improve soil fertility under water-limited conditions.
Jasmin Nahar, Md. Monzil Yeadul Hossain, M. Mia et al.· Caraka Tani: Journal of Sust...· 0 citations
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