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Effect of Nitrogen Fixing Azotobacter and

Azospirillum on Growth and Yield of Chilli
(Capsicum Spp. L.) CV...

Article · April 2014

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 Effect of Nitrogen Fixing Azotobacter and
Azospirillum on Growth and Yield of Chilli
(Capsicum Spp. L.) CV. Acharya

ISSN 2319-9725

Jadhav, P. B.
Dekhane, S.S.
ASPEE Agricultural Research and Development Foundation,
‘ASPEE HOUSE’, Mumbai
Saravaiya, S. N.
I/c Prof. Dept. of Vegetable Science, ACHF, NAU, Navsari
Tekale, G. S.
Ph.D. Scholar, Dept. of Vegetable Science, ACHF, NAU,
Navsari
Patil, S. J.
Asso. Professor, Dept. of Fruit Science, ACHF. NAU, Navsari
Patel, D. J.
Ex. Principal and Dean, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand
(GJ)

Abstract: An investigation was undertaken with the main objective of to study the effect of nitrogen
fixing viz., Azotobacter and Azospirillum with different levels of N (60%, 85% and 100%) on growth
and yield of chilli (Capsicum spp. L.) cv. Acharya at ASPEE ARDF, Tansa (Maharashtra).
Recommended dose of NPK @ 90:60:50 kg/ha and N-fixing culture @ 500g/ha were applied. All the
growth characters like plant height (61.50cm) and number of branches/plant (25.25) was found
higher with T7-Azospirillum + 100%N + 100% PK, which was statistically at par with T6-
Azotobacter + 100% N + 100% PK. Results showed that the inoculation with T5-Azospirillum +
80% N along with 100% P & K recorded maximum fruit length (6.40 cm), fruit diameter (10.70
mm), number of fruits/plant (78.50) and fruit yield (10.35 t/ha). Considering the cost: benefit ratio
and yield of the crop, Azospirillum was considered better over Azotobacter.
May, 2014 www.ijirs.com Vol3 Issue 5

1. Introduction:

Chilli (Capsicum spp. L.) is one of the most important cash crops belonging to the family
Solanaceae. India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of chillies in the form of
dried whole chillies (Awasthi and Kumar, 2008.).Being introduced by Portuguese in 17th
century in India, especially grown in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Maharashtra, account for 3/4 of the total area besides Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab,
Bihar and Rajasthan. Continuous use of inorganic fertilizers has resulted in ecological
imbalance with consequent ill effect on soil health and environment. To maintain long term
soil health and productivity there is a need for integrated nutrient management through
manures and biofertilizers apart from costly chemical fertilizers for better yield of the crop
(Mondal et al., 2003). Among the nitrogen fixing culture, Azospirillum is considered to be an
associate symbiotic facultative entophytic diazotrophs group which colonize the surface and
interior of roots and this kind of association is considered as the starting point of most
ongoing biological nitrogen fixing programs with non legume plants worldwide (Sabalpara et
al., 2014). Azospirillum also provides nitrogen, but also synthesizes growth promoting
hormones such as IAA and GA. Azospirillum spp. directly benefits plants improving root and
shoot development and increases the yield of crops by mineral uptake and water uptake
through roots. Hence, the experiment was undertaken to study their effect on growth and
yield of chilli cv. Acharya.

2. Materials and Methods:

An investigation was carried out at American Spring & Pressing Works, Pvt. Ltd. (ASPEE),
Agricultural Research Development Foundation (ARDF), Tansa (Maharashtra) Farm during
the rabi 2013-14. The experiment was laid down in Randomized Block Design (RBD)
consisting of seven treatments including control replicated four times. The chilli cv. Acharya
seedlings nursery was raised at 15 x 5 cm distance in a plot size 3 x 1 m and transplanted in
plot size 3 X 1 m. All agronomical practices in virgue were employed from time to time.
Inoculants of nitrogen fixing were mixed with minimum quantity of water and individual
seedlings were dipped for about 30 minutes and transplanted in the main field immediately.
The quantities of each bacterial culture were used @ 500g/ha. The seedlings were
transplanted at 50 cm x 50 cm spacing i.e. 25 seedlings plot-1 (2.5 m x 2.5 m). The treatment
combinations were: T1- Recommended NPK only (control), T2- Azotobacter + 60% N +

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May, 2014 www.ijirs.com Vol3 Issue 5

100% PK, T3- Azospirillum + 60% N + 100% PK, T4- Azotobacter + 80% N + 100% PK, T5-
Azospirillum + 80% N + 100% PK, T6- Azotobacter + 100% N + 100% PK, T7- Azospirillum
+ 100% N + 100% PK. FYM was applied @ 10t/ha to all the treatments along with control.
All the fertilizers were applied at the time of land preparation and half of nitrogen was
applied in two split doses i.e. 30 and 60 DATP. The observations on plant height, number of
branches, fruit per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit yield were recorded. The
statistical analysis was done by using method of Panse and Sukhatme, (1967).

3. Results and Discussion

The data on different parameters are presented in Table 1 revealed that. the higher plant
height (61.50 cm) and maximum number of branches (25.25) were found in the plants
provided with T7-Azospirillum + 100% N + 100% PK which was at par with T6-Azotobacter
+ 100% N + 100% PK (60.75 cm; 25) and T5-Azospirillum + 80% N + 100 % PK (58.50 cm;
23.00). Whereas, number of fruits per plant (78.50) was recorded at treatment combination of
T5-Azospirillum + 80 % N + 100% PK which was at par with T4-Azotobacter + 80 % N +
100% PK (77.75), T7-Azospirilum + 100% N + 100% PK (76) and T6-Azotobacter + 100 %
N + 100% PK (75.25) in chilli cv. Acharya. Similar findings were also reported by
Chandrappa et al. (2007) and Khan and Pariari (2012) in chilli. It shows that the effect of
both the bio-fertilizers has similar effect on growth characters of chilli, but varies with the
changes in dose of nitrogen.

The maximum fruit length (6.40 cm) and fruit diameter (10.75 mm) were recorded by T5-
Azospirillum + 80% N + 100% PK, which was at par with T4-Azotobacter + 80% N + 100%
PK (6.13 cm, 10.50 mm), T7-Azospirilum + 100% N + 100% PK (6.20 cm ; 9.75 mm) and
T6-Azotobacter + 100% N + 100% PK (6.08 cm; 9.50 mm). The results are also in
conformity of the findings of Dekha et al. (1996), Chandrappa et al. (2007) and Khan and
Pariari (2012). The findings are in conformity with the results of the Veera Raghavathatham
et al. (1988) and Amirthalingam (1988).

Fruits yield was significantly influenced by the nitrogen fixing culture with different levels of
nitrogen in chilli cv. Acharya. The maximum fruit yield was registered in the treatment T5-
Azospirillum + 80% N + 100% PK (10.35 t/ha) and it was at par with T4-Azotobacter + 80%
N + 100% PK (10.00), T7-Azospirilum + 100% N + 100% PK (9.83) and T6-Azotobacter +

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 May, 2014 www.ijirs.com Vol3 Issue 5

100% N + 100% PK (9. 63).

The highest value of net return (1,50,200 Rs/ha) and cost: benefit ratio (1:2.64) were derived
from the treatment combination of T5-Azospirillum + 80 % N + 100 % PK followed by T4-
Azotobacter + 80 % N + 100 % PK (1,43,200 Rs/ha; 1:2.52), T7-Azospirillum + 100% N +
100% PK (1,36,500 Rs/ha; 1:2.28) and T6-Azotobacter + 100% N + 100% PK (1,32,599
Rs/ha; 1:2.21).

Treatment Plant No. of No. of Fruit Diameter Fruit Cost of Gross returns Net Cost
height branches fruits length of fruit yield production Rs.ha.-1 Return benefit
(cm) plant-1 plant-1 (cm) (mm) t.ha.-1 Rs.ha.-1 (Selling Rs.ha.- ratio
1
prise-
20Rs/kg)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
T1- 54.50 21.25 72.50 5.83 9.00 8.75 58000 175000 117000 1:2.02
Recommended
dose NPK
(90:60:50 )
T2- 51.75 19.25 65.25 5.00 8.25 7.50 55000 150000 95000 1:1.73
Azotoba
cter +
60% N
+ 100%
PK
T3- 53.25 20.00 67.50 5.40 8.88 7.63 55000 152500 97500 1:1.77
Azospiri
llum +
60% N
+ 100%
PK
T4- 57.25 22.00 77.75 6.13 10.50 10.00 56800 200000 143200 1:2.52
Azotoba
cter +
80% N
+ 100%
PK
T5- 58.50 23.00 78.50 6.40 10.75 10.35 56800 207000 150200 1:2.64
Azospiri
llum +
80% N
+ 100%
PK
T6- 60.75 25.00 75.25 6.08 9.50 9.63 60000 192500 132500 1:2.21
Azotoba
cter +
100% N
+ 100%
PK
T7- 61.50 25.25 76.00 6.20 9.75 9.83 60000 196500 136500 1:2.28
Azospiri
llum +
100% N
+ 100%
PK
S.Em ± 1.74 0.80 1.13 0.22 0.53 0.59
C. D. @ 0.05 5.18** 2.37** 3.36** 0.65** 1.56** 1.76**
C. V. % 6.14 7.17 3.09 7.41 11.05 13.05

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May, 2014 www.ijirs.com Vol3 Issue 5

Table 1: Effect of N- fixing Azotobacter and Azospirillum culture on growth and yield of
chilli (Capsicum spp. L.) cv. Acharya

4. Conclusion:

Considering the above research results of the experiment, the application of Azospirillum in
combination with N 80% and full dose of P and K may give the highest return from
cultivation of chilli cv. Acharya.

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 May, 2014 www.ijirs.com Vol3 Issue 5

References:

1. Amirthalingam, S. 1988. Studies on the effect of Azospirillum, Nitrogen and NAA on

growth and yield of Chilli cv.K1. South Indian Horticulture. 36(4):218.
2. Awasthi, L.P. and Kumar, P. 2008. Response of chilli genotypes/cultivars against
viral diseases. Indian Phytopath. 61(2): 282-284.
3. Chandrappa, H., Venkatesh, J., Sharanappa, J. and Prasad, R. 2007. Influence of
Azotobacter, Azospirillum and nitrogen on growth, yield and quality of Chilli.
Proc.Nat.Sem. Production,Development, Quality and Export of seed Spices. NRCSS,
Ajmer. pp. 278-283.
4. Dekha, B. C., Bora, G. C. and Shadeque, A. 1996. Effect of Azospirillum on groth and
yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Pusa Jwala. Haryana J. Horticuilture
Science. 25: 44-46.
5. Khan, S. and Pariari, A. 2012. Effect of N- fixing biofertilizers on growth, yield and
quality of chilli (Capsicum annuum l.). The Bioscan.7(3): 481-482.
6. Mondal, T., Ghanti, P., Mahato, B., Mondal, A. R. and Thapa, U. 2003. Effect of
spacing and biofertilizer on yield and yield attributes of direct sown Chilli (C. annuum
L. Cv Bona Lanka). Env. Eco. 21: 712-15.
7. Panse, V. G. and Sukhatme, P. V. (1967). Statistical Methods for Agricultural
Workers. ICAR, New Delhi pp. 187-197.
8. Sabalpara, A. N., Panda, J. R. and Mahatma, L. 2014. Use of beneficial microbes in
agriculture. National Seminar on role of organic farming in climate resilient and
sustainable agriculture. p-75.
9. Veera Raghava Thatham, D., Sundara Rajan, S., Jayashankar, S., Vadivel, E. and
Shanmughavelu, K. G. 1988. Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus application and
Azospirillum inoculation on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.). Proc. Nat. Seminar
Chillies. Ginger and Turmeric. pp. 65-70.

International Journal of Innovative Research and Studies Page 832

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