Effectiveness of Azotobacter bio-inoculant for wheat grown under dryland condition.

Judicious use of chemicals along with biofertilizers and organic resources are advocated for sustaining crop productivity and soil health, and meeting a part of fertilizer requirement for different crops. In the present study, different combinations of nitrogen (urea and/or farmyard manure) doses with Azotobacter strain (Azo-8) were experimented for a dryland wheat variety GW-273. It was observed that the combination of Azotobacter strain (Azo-8) along with urea (60KgN ha-1) and farm yard manure (40KgN ha -1) gave the best response. It resulted in more than 23% and 36% increase in shoot fresh weight and dry weight, 26% and 38% increase in root fresh weight and dry weight, 39% increase in test weight of seeds and 27% increase in yield over control. The results of present experiments can be utilized in integrated nutrient management for wheat cultivation in dryland areas to provide sustainability to the agricultural productivity.