Influence of phosphorus and potassium-solubilizing inoculants on growth, yield and economic feasibility of maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2025 at the Biofertilizer and Biopesticide Unit, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, to evaluate the influence of Phosphorus and Potassium Solubilizing Bacteria on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with seven treatments and three replications. Treatments comprised different levels of recommended phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, with or without PSB and KSB seed inoculation. The results revealed that the combined application of 100% RDF + PSB + KSB (T₅) significantly improved plant height (196.42 cm), dry matter accumulation (314.64 g plant⁻¹), number of cobs per plant (1.74), cob length (20.41 cm), cob diameter (3.85 cm), and filled grains per cob (346.85). The highest grain yield (56.16 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (65.58 q ha⁻¹), biological yield (121.74 q ha⁻¹), harvest index (46.12%), gross return (₹141,344 ha⁻¹), net return (₹101,619 ha⁻¹), and benefit-cost ratio (2.56) were also recorded under T₅. Test weight was not significantly affected by the treatments. The treatment 75% RDPK + PSB + KSB (T₆) produced grain yield statistically comparable to 100% RDF, indicating that microbial inoculation improved nutrient-use efficiency and partially compensated for reduced phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application. The study concludes that integrating PSB and KSB with recommended fertilizer doses is an effective and economically viable strategy for enhancing maize productivity and promoting sustainable nutrient management under kharif conditions.