Study of Root Nodulation Efficiency of Different Rhizobium Strains Found in Different Regions of Akola District and Developing Rhizobia Based Biofertilizer

After introduction of chemical fertilizers in the last century, there is increased yield in agriculture in the beginning, but slowly they started displaying their ill-effects such as leaching out and polluting water basins, destroying microorganisms and friendly insects, increased salinity, reduced soil fertility, and making the crops more susceptible to the attack of diseases leading to damage of overall system, which is irreparable. Thus, to overcome this problem, it is necessary to find out alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Keeping this view in mind, the present work was undertaken to develop 'microbial inoculants' or 'biofertilizers'. Biological nitrogen fixation offers an attractive and ecologically sound route for augmenting nutrient supply. Hence, biofertilizers are environmental and ecofriendly renewable resources. In present work, total 30 soil samples from different regions of Akola district were analysed for isolation of Rhizobium. Bioinoculant was prepared after isolation of maximum strains of Rhizobium. Its application was studied in pot experiments with soyabean seeds to visualize growth of soyabean plants along with its nodulation efficiency. After 2-3 months, it was observed that isolated strains have maximum nodulation efficiency as compared to control. Rhizobacterial inoculants were capable of forming root nodules in most leguminous plants. Thus, development of Rhizobium as biofertilizer contribute to increasing crop productivity through increased biological nitrogen fixation.