Effect of Azotobacter and Pseudomonas with Mineral Fertilizer on Yield and Yield Components of Malt Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract

The effect bio-fertilizer composed of Azotobacter and Pseudomonas spp. was investigated on yield and yield components of malt barley (H. vulgar L). The treatments which were laid at Bekoji, a potential malt barley district in the southeastern highlands of Ethiopia, Azotobacter + Pseudomonas + 46/20.2 N/P kg ha -1, Pseudomonas +46/20.2 N/P kg ha -1, 46/20.2 N/P kg ha -1, Azotobacter +46/20.2 N/P kg ha -1, Azotobacter + Pseudomonas, Azotobacter, Pseudomonas, C- (uninoculated and unfertilized) in randomized complete block design(RCBD) with three replications. Results indicated that application of the bio-fertilizer treatments alone resulted in the minimum performance of different agronomic parameters studied, while inorganic fertilizer application with dual inoculation with Azotobacter + Pseudomonas gives the highest and significant effect on grain yield, harvest index, biological yield, plant height, and thousand seed weight as compared to other treatments. But this trend was not observed in the number of spikes for that case the result was reversed. Hence, the study showed that the use of chemical fertilizer along with dual inoculation (Azotobacter +Pseudomonas) should be considered as a component of inputs especially in inorganic farming systems of malt barley production.