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Background <p>Declining soil fertility and extensive use of chemical fertilizers threaten the long-term sustainability of cereal production in semiarid regions of India. Plant growth–promoting microbes (PGPM) and beneficial fungi offer eco-friendly options for enhancing nutrient availability, plant growth and yield. This study evaluated newly developed bioinoculants on wheat and maize grown under nonsaline Vertisol conditions.</p> Methods <p>A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with six treatments: a full nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium fertilized control, four single microbial inoculants (Bacillus strain B1, Shouchella strain B3, Aspergillus versicolor F17 and Aspergillus proliferans F20), and a consortium combining all strains. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) were grown in replicated plots under uniform agronomic management. Microbial cultures were applied as seed treatments followed by soil application at sowing. Vegetative growth traits, reproductive parameters and grain yield were recorded at maturity. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, and treatment means were compared using appropriate post-hoc tests.</p> Results <p>The microbial consortium produced the strongest improvements in both crops. In wheat, consortium application increased shoot length by 20%, tiller number by 45% and spikelet number by 36% compared with the control. In maize, consortium-treated plants displayed about 31% greater shoot length, produced more ears per plant and showed a 36% rise in kernels per ear. Although secondary tillers typically produce smaller ears, the consortium enhanced both ear number and kernel formation, indicating a genuine improvement in reproductive capacity. Among single inoculants, Aspergillus proliferans F20 was particularly effective in maize, markedly increasing ear number. Grain yield was highest under the consortium in both crops, reflecting synergistic nutrient solubilization and hormone-mediated growth promotion.</p> Conclusion <p>The study demonstrates that multi-strain microbial consortia significantly enhance vegetative and reproductive performance of wheat and maize under semiarid Vertisol conditions. Complementary interactions among bacterial and fungal strains support their potential as sustainable alternatives to chemical fertilizers for cereal production.</p>

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Field evaluation of novel PGPM consortium bioinoculants for growth regulation and yield enhancement in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea Mays L.)

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月10日

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  • Suvarna Dnyaneshwar Patil,
  • Arpana Hemraj Jobanputra,
  • Vijay Jagdish Upadhye,
  • Mohd Hasan Mujahid,
  • Sumeer Ahmed

摘要

Background

Declining soil fertility and extensive use of chemical fertilizers threaten the long-term sustainability of cereal production in semiarid regions of India. Plant growth–promoting microbes (PGPM) and beneficial fungi offer eco-friendly options for enhancing nutrient availability, plant growth and yield. This study evaluated newly developed bioinoculants on wheat and maize grown under nonsaline Vertisol conditions.

Methods

A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with six treatments: a full nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium fertilized control, four single microbial inoculants (Bacillus strain B1, Shouchella strain B3, Aspergillus versicolor F17 and Aspergillus proliferans F20), and a consortium combining all strains. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) were grown in replicated plots under uniform agronomic management. Microbial cultures were applied as seed treatments followed by soil application at sowing. Vegetative growth traits, reproductive parameters and grain yield were recorded at maturity. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, and treatment means were compared using appropriate post-hoc tests.

Results

The microbial consortium produced the strongest improvements in both crops. In wheat, consortium application increased shoot length by 20%, tiller number by 45% and spikelet number by 36% compared with the control. In maize, consortium-treated plants displayed about 31% greater shoot length, produced more ears per plant and showed a 36% rise in kernels per ear. Although secondary tillers typically produce smaller ears, the consortium enhanced both ear number and kernel formation, indicating a genuine improvement in reproductive capacity. Among single inoculants, Aspergillus proliferans F20 was particularly effective in maize, markedly increasing ear number. Grain yield was highest under the consortium in both crops, reflecting synergistic nutrient solubilization and hormone-mediated growth promotion.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that multi-strain microbial consortia significantly enhance vegetative and reproductive performance of wheat and maize under semiarid Vertisol conditions. Complementary interactions among bacterial and fungal strains support their potential as sustainable alternatives to chemical fertilizers for cereal production.