This review presents a critical and comprehensive documentation and analysis of the developments in agricultural, environmental, molecular, and physiological studies related to Azospirillum cells, and to Azospirillum interactions with plants, based solely on information published between 1997 and 2003. It was designed as an update of previous reviews (Bashan and Levanony 1990; Bashan and Holguin 1997a), with a similar scope of interest. Apart from an update and critical analysis of the current knowledge, this review focuses on the central issues of Azospirillum research today, such as, (i) physiological and molecular studies as a general model for rhizosphere bacteria; (ii) co-inoculation with other microorganisms; (iii) hormonal studies and re-consideration of the nitrogen contribution by the bacteria under specific environmental conditions; (iv) proposed Azospirillum as a non-specific plant-growth-promoting bacterium; (v) re-introduction of the "Additive Hypothesis," which suggests involvement of multip...

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Azospirillum-plant relationships: physiological, molecular, agricultural, and environmental advances (1997-2003)

RESPONSE OF GERBERA (Gerbera jamsonii Bolus ex Hooker F.) FOR INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT UNDER NATURALLY VENTILATED POLYHOUSE CONDITION

The present investigation entitled “Effect of integrated nitrogen management on growth, flowering and flower yield of gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella Foug) cv. 'Lorenziana' under middle Gujarat conditions” was conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, B.A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during the year 2009 10. The treatments comprising organic fertilizers, biofertilizer and three level of nitrogen doses (100, 75 and 50 kg N/ha) including control 100 Kg N/ha + FYM 10 t/ha were tried in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that T5 (75 Kg N/ha + Vermicompost 3.75 t/ha) produced significantly maximum plant height (73.33 cm), number of branches per plant (36.98) and plant spread (72.68 cm in North South direction and 68.59 cm in East West direction). The plants under the treatment T5 (75 Kg N/ha + Vermicompost 3.75 t/ha) required significantly minimum days for first flower initiation (53.20 days) followed by treatment T4, T6 and T10 and 50% flowering (61.51 days) followed by treatment T4, T6, T10 and T2. The same treatment T5 produced maximum number of flowers per plant (95.86) and recorded maximum flower diameter (6.27 cm) as well as weight of individual flower (3.47 g) followed by treatment T4, T6 and T10. Significantly the flower yield per plant (333.18 g) as well as per hectare (24.67 t) was recorded in treatment T5 followed by treatment T4, T6, T10 and T2.The treatments T3 (50 Kg N/ha + FYM 20 t/ha) produced flowers with maximum shelf life (1.80 days). From, economic point of view, the highest net realization (204745 Rs. ha) was obtained with treatment T5 (75 kg N/ha + Vermicompost 3.75 t/ha) followed by T4 (100 Kg N/ha + Vermicompost 2.5 t/ha) (182895 Rs. ha) and T10 (100 Kg N/ha + Azotobacter @ 5ml/lit) (179695 Rs. ha) as compared to the control (126545 Rs. ha). The treatment T10 recorded the highest cost benefit ratio (1:5.82) as compared to control (1:4.13). For securing higher flower yield and net realization from gaillardia raised on loamy sand soils of middle Gujarat, it is advisable that application of 75 Kg N/ha with vermicompost 3.75 t/ha was found beneficial for getting higher flower yield in gaillardia cv. ‘Lorenziana’. Dr. N. S. Parekh Associate Professor Department of Horticulture B.A.College of Agriculture Anand Agricultural University Anand 388110

EFFECT OF INTEGRATED NITROGEN MANAGEMENT ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND FLOWER YIELD OF GAILLARDIA (Gaillardia pulchella Foug) CV. ‘LORENZIANA’ UNDER MIDDLE GUJARAT CONDITIONS

A field experiment was conducted during 2008-09 and 2009-10 to study the effect of different bio-fertilizers namely PSB, Nitrate fixers and KM along with Vermicompost (2 tha -1 ), NPK (30:30:15 kg ha -1 ) and organic manures (cow dung @ 20t ha-1) on growth behavior of coriander. There were 9 treatments with 3 replications. Combined inoculation of biofertilizers along with vermicompost and NPK (T 6 ) showed superiority with respect to plant height both at 45 DAS (40.80cm) and at maturity (63.96 cm), number of primary (7.42) and secondary branches (13.07), stem girth (3.37cm), root length (14.39cm) followed by T 3 treatment (Azospirillum + Vermicompost + NPK) where the plant height, number of primary and secondary branches, stem girth and root length were 63.09cm, 7.35, 12.22, 3.27cm and 14.05cm respectively. Treatment T 6 also exhibited earliness for 50% flowering (61.66) and seed setting (79.49), days for fruit setting (96.79) and maturity (103.96). Seed yield was also obtained higher with T 6 (13.34 tha-1) followed by T 3 (13.06 tha-1), and was obtained lowest (6.19 tha-1) when plants were raised with cow dung manure. The use of bio-fertilizers is therefore recommended as an approach to integrated nutrient management for better yield in coriander and sustenance of soil health.

T. Prabu

Papers

Effect of integrated nutrient management of growth and yield of gaillardia

Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)