The impact of potato mini-tuber inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on tuber yield and nutrients uptake

This research was conducted to study the effect of PGPR (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) on mini-tuber yield and absorption of nutrients in the greenhouse ofSeed and Plant Certification and Registration Research Institute in 2012. Minituber derived from tissue culture of two potato cultivars (‘Agria’ and ‘Sante’) which were inoculated with 116 and 173 strains of Pseudomonas and two species of Bacillus (B. megaterium and B. Subtilis) all along with control treatments as separately and in mixture with each other. A pot experiment was conducted using factorial based on randomized complete design with four replications. After tuber-filling stage nutrient elements percentage was assayed. After harvesting, minitubers were separated and total yield in standard size was determined. Inoculation of PGPRs had a significant effect on yield and nutrient elements. The rate of absorption of nutrients and minituber production of two varieties showed a significant difference. Mean Comparison of traits showed that dual inoculation of two types of bacterial treatments had the most influence on the absorption of nutrients as well as the number minituber in standard size compared to the control (non-inoculated).‘Sante’ cultivarproduced the highest number of minituber compared with cv. ‘Agria’.According to the results, dual and separate inoculation of potatoes with PGPR not only intensify the synergy effects through growth and developments of roots, but also increase the nutrients absorption which cause enhancement of the tuberization and yield.