Effects of seed priming with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) on yield and yield attribute of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids

In order to evaluate the effects of seed priming with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) on dry matter remobilization and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in 2009 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. Factors included seed priming of maize hybrids (SC-404, SC-410 and SC-434) with PGPR in three levels: Without priming (as control), priming with Azotobacter or Azospirillum and Azotobacter+Azospirillum. The results showed that seed priming with PGPR affected grain yield, plant height, number of kernels per ear and number of grains per ear row significantly. Maximum of these characteristics were obtained by the plots, which seeds were inoculated with Azotobacter bacteria. Mean comparison of treatment combination corn hybrid×priming with PGPR showed that maximum grain yield and number of kernels per ear were obtained by the plots of SC-434 with Azotobacter and in SC-404 hybrid without seed priming. Investigation of process of variances of dry matter accumulation indicated that in all of hybrids, it increased slowly until 36 days after sowing and then increased rapidly until 116 days after sowing and from 116 days after sowing until harvest time; it decreased due to increasing aging of leaves. In addition, in all of maize hybrids, dry matter accumulation in unit of area increased with seed priming with Azotobacter. The highest grain yield (7.01 ton/ha) and dry matter accumulation (2019 g/m2) was obtained in treatment compound SC-434 maize hybrid at seed priming with Azotobacter. Thus, it can be suggested that SC-434 hybrid should be inoculated with Azotobacter bacteria in conditions of Ardabil Plain.