Abstract

Inoculation effect of two biofertilizers with different doses of chemical fertilizers on growth and development of Malaysian commercial rice variety MR 219 was evaluated through a pot experiment at plant house, University Putra, Malaysia during June to October 2012. A total of eight treatments were used in this study which were Tj-Control, T2-NPK fertilizer, T3-Bacillus sphaericus (UPMB 10), T seudomonas spp., T5-Half strength of NPK fertilizer+UPMB 10, T6-Half strength of NPK fertilizer+Pseudomonas spp., T7-NPK fertilizer+UPMB 10+Pseudomonas and T8-Half strength of NPK fertilizer+UPMB 10+Pseudomonas spp. Treatment T8 which was a combination of half strength of chemical fertilizer and biofertilizer emerged as the most promising strategy boost up growth parameters of rice variety MR 219. Both of these bioinoculants markedly enhanced rice shoot biomass, leaf chlorophyll content, N, P, K, Ca and Mg content. The present study indicated that biofertilizer was beneficial to rice cultivation under limited inorganic fertilizer inputs. Thus, the bacterial strains, B. sphaericus and Pseudomonas spp. could be used as bioenhancer for growth of MR 219 rice variety as well as a 50% chemical fertilizer could be saved by the utilization of these strains.