Vol. 7, Issue 11 (2018)

Author(s):
Subhadra Das, D Dash, SB Gupta and Sonali Deole

Abstract:
The present study was undertaken to isolate and characterize Rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacteria from rhizosphere soils of tamarind and determination of their potency for germination of Tamarind seeds in nursery. Pure cultures of Rhizobium and PSB strains were isolated on PCA (Plate Count Agar) of Yeast Extract Mannitol (YEMA) and Pikovaskya media respectively. Tamarind- Rhizobium and PSB isolates showed positive reaction for starch hydrolysis, catalase test and are Gram –ve bacteria. TSI test showed glucose, lactose and sucrose fermentation occurred with tamarind- Rhizobium whereas in PSB only glucose fermentation was there. Their assessment on potency for germination performance of tamarind seeds in nursery was carried out in glass house condition with six treatments consisting of T₁ - Control (Seed soaking), T₂ - Seed soaking +Rhizobium + 25% N + 50%P, T₃ - Seed soaking + PSB + 50%N+ 25% P, T₄ - Seed soaking + Rhizobium + PSB+ 25% NP, T₅ - Seed soaking + 50% NP and T₆ - Mechanical scarification + 50% NP. These treatments were replicated four times in tamarind (Tamarindus indica) to study the influence of microbial inoculants on seed germination. The combined inoculation of Rhizobium and PSB along with 25% NP showed significant increase in germination percentage over control (Uninoculated seeds). Further decrease in number of days taken (8.25 days) for initiation of germination (14.5 days in Uninoculated seeds) was noticed in seeds subjected bioinoculants. It was concluded that the treatment Rhizobium + PSB + 25% NP was most effective and may be adopted to improve germination of tamarind in nursery condition.