Impact Assessment of PGPR in Cumin through on Farm Trials in Arid Zone of Gujarat

Abstract

The increasing demand for crop production with a significant reduction of synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides use is a big challenge nowadays. The use of PGPR has been proven to be an environmentally sound way of increasing crop yields by facilitating plant growth through either a direct or indirect mechanism. The present study was carried out by ICAR-CAZRI, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kukma, Bhuj for the assessment of PGPR in Cumin in different villages during rabi season for consecutive two years (2017-18 and 2018-19) as an On-Farm Trial at 10 farmers fields of Bhuj Talukas of Kachchh, Gujarat. The strains used in the bioformulations were Pseudomonas pituda and Microbacterium taraoxidens, respectively. The bioformulations were applied as seed coating as well as soil application. It was revealed that, the use of PGPR increased the seed yield as well as net income of the cumin growers. The average seed yield under improved practice was 1008 kg ha–1 compared to the farmers practice (849.5 kg ha–1) and increased significantly by 18.66% an average over farmers practice output. The average extension gap, technology gap and technology index were 158.5 kg ha-1, 92 kg ha-1 and 8.36%, respectively. Through adoption of improved practice, farmers get additional average returns of Rs.21920 ha-1 and B: C ratio 3.69.