RESIDUAL EFFECT OF PSEUDOMONAS AND KLEBSIELLA SPECIES

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to observe the residual effect of pseudomonas and klebsiella species that were previously applied in fields to enhance P uptake in maize (Zea mays L.) and yield capacity in an ultisol. This experiment was conducted in the Experimental Field sited behind Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City. The treatments consisted of the application of: T₁ klebsiella spp., T₂ pseudomonas + NPK, and T₃ poultry manure + pseudomonas to soils and each of the treatment were replicated three (3) times resulting in nine (9) treated plots. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and data obtained were subjected to analyses of variance (ANOVA), Results obtained at the end of the experiment shows that at week two for both plant height and leaf area, it was observed that there were significant differences between T2 (42.17^a cm and 165.13^a cm²) and the other two treatments T1 (16.80^b cm and 56.41^b cm²) and T3 (42.17^b cm and 36.27^b cm²) respectively, with T2 also recording the highest value. Whereas from week four to week eight there was no significant difference observed between the treatments.