YIELD RESPONSE OF FIVE MAIZE HYBRIDS TO INOCULATION WITH RHIZOBACTERIA

The biofertilizers are found positive contribution to soil fertility, resulting in an increase in crop yield without causing any environmental, water or soil pollution hazards. Nitrogen fixing and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria play an important role in nitrogen mobilization and phosphorus solubilization for the benefit of plant growth. A field experiment to study yield response of maize to inoculation with rhizobacteria, was conducted during 2013 at experimental field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad. The maize hybrids (NS 3014, NS 4015, NS 5043, NS 6010 and NS 6030) were used in the study. The field experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with four treatments (control and 3 inoculations) and four replications. Inoculation was done with Pseudomonas PS2, Bacillus Q7 and their mixture with Azotobacter chroococcum (Q7 + PS2 + AC). Application method was incorporation immidiately before planting with liquid culture of strains (1 l + 300 l H2O ha-1). The results showed significant increase in maize yield with inoculation treatments. The best effect on maize yield was achieved with mixture of strains (19.7%). Significantly higher yield was obtained for hybrids NS6010 and NS 6030. The highest increase in yield of maize was achieved with hybrid NS 6030 (32.2%). Statistically significant differences in comparison to the control were obtained on treatments with Q7 and PS2 + Q7 + AC