Abstract
Experiments were carried out to examine the activities of rhizobia, isolated from three le8•mes (Mungbean, hickpea and lentil) far impraving growth and yield af maize under axenic conditians.
Twenty strains af rhizabia were isolated from root odules of each, host legume by usin8 dilution plate technique. These isolates were screened separately by conducting three jar experiments under axenic conditions. Most of the isolates had the potential to modify the growth of maize seedlings under axenic conditions. Results of the mungbean isolates (Rhizobium phaseali) showed that inoculatian with all the rhizobial isolates increased the oot/shoot ength and seedling biomass (up to 48.53, 21 and 35.03%, respectively over uninoculated control) except three isolates which reduced the biomass of maize seedlings. In the experiment with chickpea isolates (Mesorhizobium
ciceri), only eight isolates increased the root/shoot length and seedling biomass (up to 27.69, 8.9 and 60.56%, respectively over uninoculated control) hereas three isolates did not show any effect while nine isolates showed negative effect and reduced the shoot length af maize seedlings. In the experiment with lentil isolates (Rhizobium eguminosarum), only one isolate increased the biomass and two increased the root length whereas in case of shoot length, seven strains showed positive effect. It is suggested that screening and extending the potential of these bacteria would be a useful approach for enhancing growth and yield of maize among resource-poor farmers in developing countries like Pakistan.
I. Mehboob, Z.A. Zahir*, , A. Mahboob’, , S.M. Shahzad , , A. Jawad’, M. Arshad’. (2008) Preliminary screening of rhizobium isolates for improving growth of maize seedlings under axenic conditions, The Journal Soil & Environment , Volume 27, Issue 1.
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