ABSTRACT
This study was conducted at crop science laboratory, Faculty of agriculture, University of Benin and Dove Scientific Laboratory, Benin city.
2 Treatment factors were used ,Watering regime W1 (watering every day), W3 (watering every 3 days),W5 (watering every 5 days),W7 (watering every week), Soil and Seed Treatment T2- Treated soil and treated seed, TU- treated seed, untreated soil, UT- treated soil and untreated seed U2-untreated seed and untreated soil,16 factorial Treatment were derived . Culture media were prepared, soil samples were collected from each 16 treatment after 3,6 ,9 weeks of planting respectively. Soil samples were air dried. The samples were sieved using a 2mm sieve. Serial dilution was done on each 16 samples. The 5th dilution of each 16 sample were cultured, and repeated twice . The experiment was laid out in CRD, data were collected on Microbial count at weeks 3,6 and 9. Effect of watering regimes on microorganisms isolated and Microbial Frequency of isolated microorganisms and subjected to analysis of variance to test the significance of treatment means using GenStat statistical package version 12.1.
The microbial count from week 3,6 and 9 were significantly different, having It highest value (35.50 x 105, 25.00 x 105, 97.00 x 105, 57.50 x 105, 57.50 x 105, 45.50 x 105) cfu/g recorded From TU (Treated seed and Untreated soil) treatment.
Watering regime W5 had the highest microbial diversity, 10 microorganisms from the 11 microorganisms isolated were Present under watering regime W5 . Treatment (Treated seed and Untreated soil) and watering every five days is recommended when planting Cashew with a soil and seed to Treated with Trichoderma Hariziaum for optimum microbial diversity.
