ASSOCIATION OF BIOCHAR, RHIZOSPHERIC AND ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIAL CONSORTIA FOR SUSTAINABLE RICE (BRRI dhan28) PRODUCTION

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at research field of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur during the Boro season 2022-2023 to investigate the interactive effects of biochar, rhizospheric and endophytic bacterial consortia on the growth, development, yield and nutrient status of post-harvest soil of rice (BRRI dhan28). The experiment was laid out in the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three (3) replications. The experiment consisted of eleven treatments viz. T1: Recommended doses of fertilizer (RDF) N132P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20 (control). T2: Biochar (BC) 10 t ha−1. T3: BC 10 t ha−1 + N66P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20. T4: BC 7.5 t ha−1 + N66P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20. T5: BC 5 t ha−1 + N66P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20. T6: BC 5 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20 + Rhizospheric bacterial consortia (a), T7: BC 5 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20 + Endophytic bacterial consortia (b), T8: BC 5 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20 + Mixed (a+b) consortia, T9: BC 7 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20 + Mixed (a+b) consortia, T10: BC 10 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74Zn11B20 + Mixed (a+b) consortia, T11: BC 7.5 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74 Zn11B20 + Mixed (a+b) consortia. The results revealed that most of the parameters of the study was influenced significantly by different levels of biochar, rhizospheric and endophytic bacterial consortia. In this experiment, T10 displayed the highest plant height (98.50 and 102.05 cm) at both stages (45 DAT and at harvest), respectively. The maximum yield and yield contributing characters also recorded for T10 treatment, e.g., longest panicle at 26.00 cm, highest number of grains panicle−1 (220.63) and filled grains (212.62) but lowest unfilled grains panicle−1 (8.16), the highest 1000 grains weight (25.00 g), the highest grain yield (7.98 t ha−1), the maximum straw and biological yield (9.30 and 17.28 t ha−1, respectively), also harvest index at 46.19%. In contrast, T2 treatment, which only used biochar, resulted in the lowest plant height (86.35 cm at harvest), lower effective tillers (10.50), lowest number of grains panicle−1 (145.28), maximum unfilled grains panicle−1 (17.67) and minimum grain yield (2.23 t ha−1). Different treatments had different post-harvest soil properties. It was concluded that treatment T10 (Biochar 10 t ha−1 + N33P45K96S26Mg74Zn11B20 + Mixed (a+b) consortia) were the most successful in achieving the intended objectives, highlighting the significance of sustainable rice farming.