Abstract:
Inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are considered as a solution to the environmental and economic problems of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Inoculation with consortia of several bacterial strains is suggested as an alternative to inoculation with single species and mixed species introduced strains. Rice variety BG 250 grown in modified Yoshida rice nutrient solution was inoculated with suspensions of 3 different paddy soils separately with the aim of selecting a soil with effective microbial consortia. Inoculations did not affect any vegetative or reproductive parameter 3 or 14 weeks after transplanting despite the non-competitive conducive environment prevailing in the pots.The major reason could be presence of nutrients particularly nitrogen in sufficient quantities since this suppresses the effect of microbes. Further studies are needed with inoculation under low levels of nitrogen preferably with different rice varieties and different soils for development of biofertilizer with effective PGPR consortia
