Enhancing nutrient content in Maize: comparative effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria across various Maize hybrids

The growing need for sustainable agricultural practices has driven interest in the use of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a natural means to enhance crop productivity and nutrient content. Maize ( Zea mays ), a staple food crop worldwide, can greatly benefit from such biological interventions. This study explores the role of three PGPR species Azotobacter chroococcum (AZ), Azospirillum lipoferum (AS), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (PS) in boosting the mineral nutrient content of maize seeds, focusing on three different hybrids: SC704, SC700, and B73×K18. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) to ensure robust and unbiased results. Maize seeds were inoculated with each PGPR strain individually, as well as in combination, and compared with a non-inoculated control group. The mineral content, including Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Magnesium (Mg), and Copper (Cu), was quantitatively analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the significance of the results. The results showed that the PGPR inoculation led to a significant increase in nutrient content across all maize hybrids compared to the control. The SC704 hybrid showed the highest improvement, with increases of X% in Iron, X% in Potassium, and X% in Nitrogen compared to the control. The combined application of AZ, AS, and PS yielded even greater enhancements, with a X% increase in Iron content in SC704, outperforming individual treatments. The study demonstrates that PGPR can effectively enhance the nutrient content of maize, with a notable dependency on the maize hybrid and the specific bacterial strain used. The SC704 hybrid, in particular, showed the most significant response.