The Effect of Microbial Inoculation on Water Use Efficiency and Yield of Bean under Drought Stress Conditions

In order to study the effects of rhizobium bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on water use efficiency and the grain yield of bean, under drought stress conditions, two-year year field experiments were conducted during 2015 and 2016 growing seasons. The experimental design was a split plot arranged in an RCBD with 4 replications. Three irrigations including S1= 95-100% AW (Normal irrigation), S2= 75-80% AW(Moderate drought stress) and S3= 55-60% AW (severe drought stress) were assigned to the main plots and six bio fertilizer treatments including T1=177 rhizobium bacteria strain, T2=160 rhizobium bacteria strain used for seed inoculation, T3= mycorrhizal arboscular fungi used for soil inoculation, T4= T1+T2, T5= T1+T2+T3 and T6= control (no seed and soil inoculation) were randomized to the subplots. Based on the combined analysis of variances for two years, there were significant differences (p˂0.05) in the grain yield, yield components and water use efficiency between the irrigation stress and bio fertilizer treatments. The highest grain yield (2371 kg ha-1) and water use efficiency (522 g m-3) were obtained in the S2T2 treatment. In this treatment, 160 and 177 rhizobium bacteria (T2) in moderate drought stress (S2) were used. These results suggested that inoculation with the rhizobium of seed bean in arid and semi-arid areas could improve yield, water use efficiency and resistance to drought stress by increasing the growth in the root and shoot of the plant.