EVALUATING THE ROLE OF PHOSPHORUS SOLUBILIZING BACTERIAL INOCULATION AND PHOSPHORUS APPLICATION ON FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY OF CLUSTER BEAN (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.)

Abstract

Phosphorus unavailability is one of the major factors limiting yield of crops. Phosphorus availability can be enhanced through the use of phosphorus solubilizing bacterial inoculation and it may be helpful in increasing forage yield and improving quality of cluster bean. A field trial to evaluate the role of phosphorus solubilizing bacterial inoculation in combination with phosphorus application on forage yield and quality of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) was conducted at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The crop sown with inoculated and un inoculated seeds was given phosphorus at the rate of 37.5, 75, 112.5 and 150 kg/ha. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design having three replications, measuring a net plot size 6m x 1.8 m. The application of phosphorus fertilizer significantly affected the yield and yield contributing parameters i.e. plant height, number of branch per plant, leaf area per plant and stem diameter of cluster bean. Among the quality parameter crude protein percentage was the only parameter not influenced significantly by phosphorus applications. The phosphorus solubilizing bacterial inoculation significantly increases the green forage yield by increasing plant height, number of branches per plant and leaf area per plant. The quality parameter i.e. dry matter, crude protein and ash percentage were not influenced significantly by phosphorus solubilizing bacterial inoculation whereas, crude fiber percentage was significantly increased.