Integrated use of Rhizobium leguminosarum, Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Enriched Compost for Improving Growth, Nodulation and Yield of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Uso Integrado de Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rizobacterias Promotoras de Crecimiento Vegetal y Compost Enriquecido para Mejorar el Crecimiento, Nodulación y Rendimiento de Lenteja (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Maintenance of high bacterial population in the rhizosphere improves the efficiency of these organisms. This high bacterial population can be maintained by the application of enriched compost which supports their growth and activities. Thus integrated use of Rhizobium, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACC-deaminase) and P-enriched compost (PEC) could be highly effective for promoting growth, nodulation, and yield of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). A field study was conducted to evaluate the potential of Rhizobium, PGPR containing ACC-deaminase and PEC for promoting growth of lentil. For this study, the soil type was sandy clay loam soil having pH 7.6; EC (electrical conductivity) 2.8 dS m-1; organic matter (OM) 0.59%; total N 0.032%; available P 7.9 mg kg-1, and extractable K 129 mg kg-1. Treatments were replicated thrice, using randomized complete block (RCB) design. Results showed that the integrated use of R. leguminosarum with Pseudomonas spp. containing ACC-deaminase along with PEC was highly effective and caused up to 73.5, 73.9, 74.4, 67.5, 73.3, 65.8, 40.5, and 52.5% increase in fresh biomass, grain yield, straw yield, pods plant-1, nodule plant-1, nodule dry weight plant-1, 1000-grain weight, and N content in grain of lentil, respectively, as compared to respective control. It is concluded that integrated use of R. leguminosarum with Pseudomonas spp. having trait ACC-deaminase plus PEC would be an effective approach for better nodulation which consequently improved yield of lentil under natural conditions. La mantención de una alta población bacteriana en la rizósfera mejora la eficiencia de estos organismos. Esta población bacteriana puede ser mantenida por la aplicación de compost enriquecido que mantiene su crecimiento y actividades. Por lo tanto, el uso integrado de Rhizobium, rhizobacterias promotoras de crecimiento vegetal (PGPR) conteniendo 1-aminociclopropano-1-carboxilato desaminasa (ACC-desaminasa) y compost enriquecido con P (PEC) podría ser altamente efectivo en la promoción de crecimiento, nodulación, y producción de lenteja (Lens culinaris Medik.). Un estudio de campo se condujo para evaluar el potencial de Rhizobium, PGPR conteniendo ACC-desaminasa y PEC para promover el crecimiento de lenteja. Para este estudio, el tipo de suelo fue franco-arcillo arenoso con pH 7,6; conductividad eléctrica 2,8 dS m-1; materia orgánica 0,59%; N total 0,032%; P disponible 7,9 mg kg-1, y K extraíble 129 mg kg-1. Los tratamientos se repitieron tres veces, usando diseno de bloques co