Vol. 8, Issue 10, Part M (2024)

The present field experiment was undertaken at Research Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Vasantarao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during Kharif season of 2023. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with two factors and three replications. The present investigation was carried out by the use of inorganic fertilizer and microbial inoculants. Treatment consists of four levels of microbial inoculants and four levels of inorganic fertilizer. Treatment comprises: T₁ (M₀F₀ - Absolute control), T₂ (M₀F₁- No microbial inoculant + 100% RDF), T₃ (M₀F₂- No microbial inoculant + 80% RDF) T₄ (M₀F₃ - No microbial inoculant + 60% RDF), T₅ (M₁F₀ - Azotobacter chroccocum + No fertilizer), T₆ (M₁F₁- Azotobacter chroccocum + 100% RDF), T₇ (M₁F₂ - Azotobacter chroccocum + 80% RDF), T₈ (M₁F₃ - Azotobacter chroccocum + 60% RDF), T₉ (M₂F₀ Bacillus megaterium + No fertilizer), T₁₀ (M₂F₁ - Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF), T₁₁ (M₂F₂ - Bacillus megaterium + 80% RDF), T₁₂ (M₂F₃ - Bacillus megaterium + 60% RDF), T₁₃ (M₃F₀ - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + No fertilizer), T₁₄ (M₃F₁ - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF), T₁₅ (M₃F₂ - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 80% RDF), T₁₆ (M₃F₃ - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 60% RDF). Seed treatment of cotton was done with microbial inoculants consortia @ 20 ml kg^-1 seed and application was done at the time of sowing with recommended dose of fertilizers. Among all the treatments, T₁₄ (M₃F₁ - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF) noted significantly higher seed cotton yield and dry matter yield of cotton. Furthermore, total uptake of NPK was found significantly higher with T₁₄ (M₃F₁ - Azotobacter chroccocum + Bacillus megaterium + 100% RDF). Study concludes that recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers with microbial inoculants helped in improving yield and nutrient content in plants and yield of cotton grown in Vertisol.