Response of Phenological, Morphological Traits and Crop Production to Apply Different Level of Azospirillum and Azotobacter of Maize Genotypes

BACKGROUND: Organic farming has emerged as an important priority area globally in view of the growing demand for safe and healthy food and long term sustainability and concerns on environmental pollution associated with indiscriminate use of agrochemicals. OBJECTIVES: This study was done to determine effect of different level of biofertilizer on phenological, morphological and seed yield characteristics of corn genotypes. METHODS: Current research was conducted as split plot in randomized complete bock design with three replications in Payamnoor university of Ilam in 2009-2010. Treatments were cultivar (SC604, SC704 and SC807) as main plots and rhizobacteria (non- inoculation, inoculation with Azetobacter, Azospirillum and dual inoculation of Azotobacter and Azospirillum) as subplots. RESULT: The effect of cultivar on day to maturity, plant height, stem diameter, dry to matter and grain yield was significant. SC 704 had the highest, day to maturity, plant height, dry to matter and grain yield. The effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on all traits was significant. Dual inoculation of Azotobacter and Azospirillum had the highest ear initiation day to ear, day to maturity, plant height, stem diameter, dry to matter and grain yield. Obtained results show that double- inoculation was the most effective treatment in all cultivars. Other effective treatment were Azotobacter and Azospirillum inoculation, separately This is indicated that using growth prompting fertilizers as double- inoculation caused to increasing maize yield through synergistic effects by improving growth prompting hormones, controlling pathogenesis and growth reducing agents due to producing fungicide antibiotics and compounds (antagonistic effect) and also air molecular nitrogen fixing and also producing growth prompting hormones such as oxine, cytokenine and giberlines and solving mineral compound. CONCLUSION: The highest and lowest grain yield obtains from SC 704 with dual inoculation of Azotobacter and Azospirillum and SC 604 with non-inoculation treatment, respectively. Also studied cultivars showed different responded to most parameters.