Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 M.Sc. Student of Agronomy, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran
2 Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran
Abstract
In order to investigate the influence of seed inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on yield, grain filling rate and period of wheat at different levels of soil salinity, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was conducted with three replications at Research Greenhouse of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2012. Experimental factors included soil salinity using Nacl at four levels (0, 15, 30 and 60 Mm) and seed inoculation with PGPR at four levels (no inoculation as control, seed inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum strain 5, Azospirillum lipoferum strain OF, Pseudomonas strain 186). Results showed that increasing soil salinity reduced crop yield, maximum kernel weight and grain filling period, whereas opposite results were observed where seeds were inoculated using PGPR. A two part liner model was used to quantify the grain filling indices. Various levels of salinity and seed inoculation with PGPR significantly affected all grain filling parameters. Comparison of the means showed that the maximum grain weight; grain filling period, yield and yield components were obtained where seeds were inoculated with PGPR under no salinity stress, while minimum of these indices were observed at the highest salinity level and no inoculation. It seems that inoculation of wheat seeds with Azospirillum can be suggested as a promising strategy to increase crop yield and grain filling period under saline conditions.
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