EFFECT OF INOCULATION WITH AZOSPIRILLUM AND AZOTOBACTER ON TURF-TYPE BERMUDA GENOTYPES

Pers.) genotypes were inoculated with a mixed culture of the N2-fixing bacteria, Azospirillum and Azotobacter, to determine plant growth response to inoculation under greenhouse conditions. Top, crown, and root growth and N content were measured. At low N fertility, top growth was increased 17% as a result of inoculation. Inoculation also resulted in increased total N accumulation in the top growth. Crown and root growth was not increased by inoculation and total dry weight of all plant parts was not significantly increased. The high fertility treatments gave significantly higher clipping yields, as expected, but no significant differences were observed between the inoculation treatments. No leaf color differences were observed as a result of inoculation. Bermuda-grass genotypes were not significantly different in response to inoculation treatments.