Effect of Seed Treatment with Bio Fertilizers on Germination Plant Height and Total Biomass of Annual Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.)

Abstract

This research study aimed to investigate the effects of different biofertilizer seed treatments on the germination, plant height, and biomass of annual Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.) over a period of two years. The biofertilizers used in the study included Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Blue Green Algae, Phosphobacteria, and Vesicular - Arbuscular Mycorrhiza. The results showed that all biofertilizer treatments exhibited higher germination percentages compared to the control group in both the first and second years of the study. Among the treatments, Vesicular - Arbuscular Mycorrhiza showed the highest germination percentage, with values of 94.67% in the first year and 89.4% in the second year. The plant height of the Moringa plants was measured at various time points during both years. The biofertilizer treatments consistently resulted in taller plants compared to the control group. the Vesicular - Arbuscular Mycorrhiza treatment showed the highest plant heights in both years and in pooled. with 17.267 cm at 30 DAS, 23.067 cm at 60 DAS, 32.332 cm at 90 DAS, 43.317 cm at 120 DAS, 54.135 cm at 150 DAS, and 63.282 cm at 180 DAS. The biomass of the Moringa plants was also measured at different time points. The results indicated that the biofertilizer treatments significantly increased the biomass compared to the control group. Vesicular - Arbuscular Mycorrhiza treatment also showed high biomass values in both years, with 1.04 g at 60 DAS, 6.91 g at 120 DAS, and 14.08 g at 180 DAS. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate the positive effects of biofertilizer seed treatments on the germination, plant height, and biomass of annual Moringa. These biofertilizers can be considered as effective tools for enhancing the growth and productivity of Moringa plants, which have significant nutritional and medicinal value. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms of these biofertilizers and their potential applications in sustainable agriculture