Diazotrophic associations in sugar cane cultivation in South India. (171)

Authors

  • R. Muthukumarasamy Main Bio-control Research Laboratory, (Unit of Tamil Nadu Co-operative Sugar Federation), Chengalpattu - 603 001, India
  • G. Revathi Main Bio-control Research Laboratory, (Unit of Tamil Nadu Co-operative Sugar Federation), Chengalpattu - 603 001, India
  • C. Lakshminarasimhan Department of Botany, A.V.V.M., Sri Pushpam College, Poondi - 613 503, India

Keywords:

Sugar cane, Inorganic N, Acetobacter diazotrophicus, N2-fixation, Reduction of inorganic N-application

Abstract

Field experiments with N2-fixing Acetobacter diazotrophicus, Herbaspirillum spp., and Azospirillum lipoferum in association with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) on South Indian commercial sugar cane varieties which were not associated with A. diazotrophicus naturally, indicated promising prospects for limiting the use of inorganic N fertilizer from 140 kg ha-1 to the recommended dose of 275 kg N ha-1. The results also confirmed that the use of these microbes as biofertilizers would support sugar cane yields equivalent to or greater than yields supported by the recommended chemical N fertilizers.

Issue

Section

Research Papers