Effect of Azophos Inoculants on Drought Management under Rainfed Rice

Rice is the most diversified crop grown in India over 42 million ha. The cultivated area under rainfed condition in India was increased from 438.63 lakh ha (2004) to 445.8 lakh ha. This is due to the failure of monsoon. So the study was focused on water stress management with biofertilizers. The role of biofertilizer viz.,Azospirillum, Phosphobacteria and Azophos application in the root morphogenesis of rice varieties viz.,ADT 16, ASD 16, CO 43 and PMK 2 was studied under in vitro conditions in Jensen’s seedling agar tubes. Among the four varieties tested CO 43 responded better inoculation than the other varieties and hence selected for further studies. The cement tank experiment was conducted to know the results of biofertilizer inoculation in CO -43 rice seedlings with 100 and 50% moisture level. The results suggested that there was no much difference in the root growth and survival of Azophos in the rhizosphere of inoculated CO 43 rice plants grown under flooded and saturated moisture. Field experiments were conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Paramakudi to study the performance of Azophos with application of NPK fertilizer in PMK 3 rice in rainfed conditions. The results of Azophos inoculation on rice under water stress situations imposed by rainfed field conditions was onpar with 100% RDF of fertilizer application.

Author(s): M. Jeya Bharathi, K. Kumutha

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