Ibrahim, M. and Kawo, A.H.

Keywords: Salinity, Irrigation, Isolated bacteria, Growth and Yield of Maize

Abstract

Irrigation is a farming system used in agriculture for crop production, but due to poor practices and drought, results into soil salinity. Most crop plants, including Zea mays L. (maize), are sensitive to salt which leads to reduction in yield. These lead to search for an alternate method for the remediation of soil salinity through the use of bacteria, which is eco-friendly. This study was carried out to assess the influence of bacteria isolated from irrigated soil on the growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L) using salt tolerant bacteria. The soils used for the study were sampled from Watari Irrigation site and Bayero University, Kano (BUK) Ecological Garden using random sampling method. The physicochemical properties and microbiological characteristics of the soils were determined using standard methods. pH values of Watari and BUK were near neutral (7.33 and 6.57) while the electrical conductivity was highest in Watari (8.02 dSm-1 ). Nitrogen, organic carbon and available phosphorus were higher in BUK soil while moisture content was observed to be higher in Watari soil. For the pot trials, plants inoculated with selected bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus rhizophilia) gave a result compared to the control with salt treatment in growth criteria such: shoot height, root length, fresh and dry weights of shoot, root and 100 grain weight. Bacillus subtilis increased 100 grain weight (21.46g), shoot height (194.7cm), root dry weight (43.2g) and shoot dry weight (52.4g). The percentage increases in the growth of Z. mays were using B subtilis, K pneumoniae and S. rhizophilia (74%, 56% and 53%) while yield were (67%, 39% and 5%) respectively.