Role of indigenous PGPR in integrated nutrient management of growth and development in tea Nursery

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) that colonize plant roots and promote plant growth and development. The plant growth is being enhanced by wide variety of mechanisms adapted by rhizobacteria. Hence the use of PGPR is steadily increasing in the field of agriculture. Six indigenous PGPR strains were isolated from tea soils and different environment and characterized for the enhancement of plant growth and to improve soil health. To investigate the growth inducing ability of PGPR in tea plants. A nursery trial was conducted using three popular clones namely CR-6017, UPASI-9 and graft CR-6017/UPASI-9. The plants were uprooted after 6 months of treatment implementation and studied their biometric parameters. During observation, the morphometric parameters viz., leaf count, shoot height, root length, biomass of shoot, root and secondary roots were monitored and found significantly higher in clones CR-6017 and Graft CR-6017/UPASI-9 treated with 50% NPK + VC + BF followed by 50% NPK+ BF. UPASI- 9 treated with either 50% NPK+ BF or 50% NPK + VC + BF registered significantly higher values of biometric parameters. While studying the NPK content in all three clones and graft combination, significantly higher nitrogen content was noticed in the plants treated with BF alone. In the case of phosphorous and potassium, higher values were recorded in the plants treated with 50% NPK + VC + BF. CR-6017 showed higher values of chlorophyll in BF alone treated plants, when Graft CR-6017/UPASI-9 and UPASI- 9 had recorded higher chlorophyll in 50% NPK+ BF. Integrated Nutrient Management practice by exploiting indigenous beneficial microorganisms with partial withdrawal of synthetic fertilizers will definitely provide sustainable yield and productivity in tea and the tea planters will be immensely benefited.