Response of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub.) cultivars to dual inoculation with fixing and phosphorous solubizing bacteria

A field experiment was conducted at Regional Station, PAU, Bathinda, to investigate the impact of dual inoculation with N fixing and phosphorous solublizing bacteria with different fertility levels on performance of cluster bean cultivars during Kharif 2013 and 2014. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design, keeping combination of four cultivars (RGC 936, HG 563, RGC 1003 and RGC 1066) and three fertility levels (Recommended inorganic nutrition 20 kg N and 47.5 kg P2O5/ha, 75 % recommended inorganic nutrition + Rhizobium + phosphorous solublizing  bacteria inoculation and 50 % recommended inorganic nutrition + 50 % N through farm yard manure). Guar cultivar RGC 1066 produced maximum seed and dry fodder yield which was statistically at par with RGC 1003 and HG 363 but significantly superior than RGC 936. Plant height and pods/plant were also maximum in RGC 1066 and at par with RGC 1003 and HG 563 but significantly superior over RGC 936. Among the fertility levels, yield attributes and seed yield did not differ significantly except the 50 % flowering and dry fodder yield. Dry fodder yield was significantly higher in plots where 50 % N was substituted with farm yard manure than 25 % inorganic nutrition substituted with inoculation with Rhizobium + PSB and 100 % recommended inorganic fertilized plots. Path coefficient analysis revealed that days to 50 % flowering (DTFF) and pods/plant (PPP) had positive direct effect on Seed yield (SY) with path coefficient of 2.270 and 1.119 at contribution of 38.48 and 19.77 per cent of the total effects, respectively. The direct effect of plant height (PH) on seed yield (SY) was comparatively larger but negative at coefficient value of -2.459 with 41.66 per cent contribution which resulted in significant correlation (r=0.985).