Response of single and co-inoculation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on growth, flowering and nutrient content of chrysanthemum

A pot experiment was conducted in the screen-house of Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the two successive seasons of 2011-12 and 2012-13 to investigate the potential effect of different strains of Bacillus (BS1- SYB101, BS2- SB155 and BS3- SB127), Pseudomonas (PS1- WPS73, PS2- CPA152 and PS3-P20) and their combination on growth, flowering and nutrient content of chrysanthemum. Strains of Bacillus and Pseudomonas significantly influenced the observed parameters of chrysanthemum. Maximum plant height and number of branches per plant were recorded in plants inoculated with PS2 strain of Pseudomonas (CPA152) and BS3 strain of Bacillus (SB127) in both the years. The minimum number of days taken to bud initiation, days for first flowering from bud initiation and days taken for 50% flowering were recorded in plants inoculated with PS2 strain of Pseudomonas (CPA152) and BS3 strain of Bacillus (SB127). The maximum flower size was noticed with PS3 strain of Pseudomonas (P20) in the first year whereas, in second year, the response of Pseudomonas strains was found non-significant. Among Bacillus strains, the plants inoculated with BS3 (SB127) recorded maximum flower size. Maximum flower yield/plant was recorded in plants inoculated with PS2 strains of Pseudomonas (CPA152) and BS3 strains of Bacillus (SB127). The N content of plant was recorded maximum with PS2 (CPA152) and PS3 (P20) strains of Pseudomonas and BS3 (SB127) strains of Bacillus, whereas, P content of plant was noticed maximum with PS3 strains of Pseudomonas (P20) in the first year, while it was found non-significant in second. The response of Pseudomonas strains to K content of plant was found non-significant in both years, while K content of plant was influenced significantly by Bacillus strains.