Mobilization of Iron from Calcareous Vertisol to Minimize Iron Deficiency Chlorosis of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Raj Kiran Karthik1, Pandey R.N.*, Singh Bhupinder2, Meena M.C., Talukdar A.3 Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012 1Division of Natural Resource Management, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, 744105, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2Nuclear Research Laboratory, ICAR Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012 3Division of Genetics, ICAR Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012 *Corresponding author (Email: rnpandeyssaciari@rediffmail.com)
Online published on 31 January, 2020. Abstract Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is an abiotic nutritional stress prevalent in calcareous and high pH soils and its management is essential for realising better crop yield. In the present study, a pot culture experiment was conducted with the objective to minimise IDC in soybean using iron-efficient and responsive (FeER) soybean genotype viz. NRC-45 as test crop. An Fe inefficient and responsive (FeIR) genotype viz. IC18374 was included in the study to compare the relative efficiency of contrasting genotype in mobilizing soil Fe. Twelve treatments were used in the experiment, which includes soil amendments such as sulphitation press mud (SPM) and iron pyrite applied either alone or in combination with micro-organisms like arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi or Piriformospora indica. Application of partially decomposed SPM in combination with Aspergillus niger to FeER genotype significantly improved the DTPA extractable Fe content of the soil from 2.20 to 5.75 mg kg−1. Among the treatments, T6 comprised of FeER in combination with the application of 5 g SPM kg−1, 12.5 mg FeSO4 kg−1 and AM Fungi recorded the highest Fe concent-ration (59.7 mg g−1) in the stover at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Further, significantly higher chlorophyll content was observed in T6 (2.55 mg g−1) and T2 (2.53 mg g−1) at 60 DAS as compared to the T1 (Control). Treatment consisting of 12.5 mg FeSO4 kg−1 soil, partially decomposed SPM along with dual inoculation of AMF and Aspergillus niger to an FeER genotype of soybean was found to control Fe deficiency chlorosis. Top Keywords Aspergillus niger, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, chlorosis, iron deficiency, press mud, soybean. Top |