Evaluating Role of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Improving Phosphorus use Efficiency and Productivity in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

• Published in: International journal of agriculture and biology 2016-10, Vol.18 (5), p.881-888
• Main Authors: Sarwar, Muhammad Aqeel, Tahir, Muhammad, Tanveer, Asif, Yaseen, Muhammad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacillus; Helianthus; Helianthus annuus; Pseudomonas
• ISSN: 1560-8530; 1814-9596
• DOI: 10.17957/IJAB/15.0110

Intensive use of chemical fertilizers has produced environmental, health and agricultural hazards. Microbial inoculation as substitute to chemical fertilizers could be an effective way for sustainable sunflower production. Therefore, a field study was performed using RCBD with three replications for two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, to evaluate role of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for improving phosphorus use efficiency and productivity in sunflower. Sunflower hybrid (Hysun-33) was subjected to eleven treatments with different combinations of PGPR seed inoculation and phosphorus fertilizer levels viz. Control, Recommended P (100%), 100% P + Bacillus inoculation, 75% P + Bacillus inoculation, 50% P + Bacillus inoculation, 100% P + Pseudomonas inoculation, 75% P + Pseudomonas inoculation, 50% P + Pseudomonas inoculation, 100% P + Dual inoculation, 75% P + Dual inoculation, 50% P + Dual inoculation. The results depicted that both inoculants and their mixture with different phosphorus rates showed an increase in yield attributes, nutrients uptake, BCR and phosphorus use efficiency. Highest head diameter, number of achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield, achene and stover nitrogen content, achene and stover phosphorus content and BCR was obtained with 100% P + dual inoculation. However, 50% phosphorus + dual inoculation produced statistically same results as with recommended phosphorus (100%) while, phosphorus use efficiency and phosphorus recovery efficiency was found maximum, where 50% phosphorus was applied in combination with dual inoculation. The study suggested that plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are budding component for improving phosphorus use efficiency and productivity of sunflower.