THE EFFECTS OF PLANT GROWTH-PROMOTING BACTERIA (PGPR) AND CHEMICAL FERTILIZER INOCULATION ON GROWTH, YIELD, AND GRAIN NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF TWO TEFF VARIETIES UNDER FIELD

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the effects of PGPR and chemical fertilizer inoculation on the growth, yield, and grain nutrient uptake of teff varieties. For this, two varieties were sown in plots (size: 2´2m each) arranged with factorial (4´2) in a CRBD. Two types of chemical fertilizer and three strains of PGPR either alone or in a consortium inoculated onto two teff varieties. The results of the variance analysis showed that panicle length, the number of total spikelets, shoot dry biomass, grain yield, straw yield, harvest index, grain nitrogen, and phosphorus uptake were highly significant (P< 0.001) for the treatment while panicle length, shoot dry biomass, grain yield, lodging index, and grain iron uptake were also significant (P< 0.00) for teff variety. The interaction effect of the two factors did not significantly affect teff varieties' agronomic traits and grain nutrient uptake. Treatment means comparison results revealed that plant height and lodging index were significantly influenced by the application of 100% recommended dose of chemical fertilizer. The maximum plant height (143.6cm) and lodging index (75%) were observed on Dz-01-196. Panicle length, number of total spikelets, harvest index, and grain yield were significantly affected by the inoculation of the PGPR consortium along with the 50 % recommended dose of chemical fertilizer. The maximum panicle length (55.3cm), number of total spikelets (31.8cm), harvest index (30%), and grain yield (3.6t/h) were recorded on Dz-01-974, which increases up to 529% and 120% over treatment receiving 50% and 100% recommended dose of the chemical fertilizer respectively. Application of a native PGPR consortium with a half dose of chemical fertilizer has increased teff varieties yield and yield-related parameters as well as grain nutrient uptake and could save 50% chemical fertilizer