Effect of Graded Levels of Zinc and Zinc Solubilizing Microbes on Growth Parameters and Yield of Ginger

The pot culture experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2019-20 in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani to evaluate the response of ginger to graded levels of zinc and zinc solubilizing biofertilizers. Experiment consist of sixteen treatment combinations which includes four zinc solubilizing cultures (Control, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas striata, and Trichoderma viride) and four levels of zinc (0, 20, 30 and 40 kg ZnSO4 ha-1) in factorial complete randomized design. The results emerged out indicated significant effect of zinc solubilizing cultures particularly Pseudomonas striata and zinc level upto 40 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 on plant height, number of leaves, leaf area and rhizome yield of ginger over the other treatments. Effect of zinc solubilizing cultures i.e. Pseudomonas striata noted maximum plant height (37.06-49.59-60.84 cm for 90,150 and 210 days).The zinc level @ 40 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 was having better effect on plant height (34.83-47.38-57.84 cm for 90,150 and 210 days) zinc solubilizers influenced the number of leaves of ginger plant at various growth stages and was recorded stage wise in the range between 10.55 to 15.62, 16.64 to 21.59 and 20.50 to 25.54 at 90, 150 and 210 days respectively. Significantly highest leaf area noted in pot treated with Pseudomonas strita (32.11-33.33-34.76 cm2) and significant effect of levels of zinc up to 40 kg ha-1 have influenced on leaf area and noted highest in 40 kg ha-1 ZnSO4 (28.71-30.56-32.08 cm2). The highest rhizome yield was found in pots inoculated with Pseudomonas striata (374.72 g pot-1) and zinc level @40 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 (355.78g pot-1).