Table 1.

Effect of T42 strain on nitrogen nutrient uptake and growth attributes in tobacoo roots.

Plant treatments	Root (total N content) (mg g-1 plant-1)		RDM (g plant-1)		SDM (g plant-1)		Primary root length (cm)		Primary root thickness (mm)
	40 days	70 days	40 days	70 days	40 days	70 days	40 days	70 days	40 days	70 days
Control	32.1 ± 0.8e	33.6 ± 0.6e	0.9 ± 0.2c	1.02 ± 0.1d	2.9 ± 0.2e	3.8 ± 0.3e	16.3 ± 0.9e	21.3 ± 1.2d	1.0 ± 0.0b	1.3 ± 0.3d
T42 strain	35.9 ± 0.4c	38.1 ± 0.2c	1.6 ± 0.1a	2.1 ± 0.1bc	5.4 ± 0.1bc	8.2 ± 0.1b	22.5 ± 0.5b	34.9 ± 0.7b	1.3 ± 0.3ab	2.3 ± 0.3ab
NO3- fed	38.2 ± 0.8b	40.3 ± 0.4b	1.4 ± 0.1b	1.9 ± 0.1cd	5.1 ± 0.1c	7.4 ± 0.2c	20.3 ± 1.2c	32.3 ± 1.5b	1.3 ± 0.3ab	2.0 ± 0.0abc
NO3- plus T42 strain	40.7 ± 0.4a	44.0 ± 0.5a	1.9 ± 0.1ab	2.7 ± 0.2a	6.4 ± 0.2a	9.5 ± 0.2a	28.7 ± 0.9a	46.0 ± 1.7a	1.7 ± 0.0a	2.7 ± 0.3a
NH4+ fed	34.1 ± 0.7d	35.9 ± 0.2d	1.2 ± 0.1b	1.6 ± 0.0d	4.1 ± 0.1d	6.1 ± 0.3d	17.0 ± 0.6de	35.3 ± 0.9b	1.0 ± 0.3b	1.7 ± 0.3bc
NH4+ plus T42 strain	35.8 ± 0.5cd	37.4 ± 0.4cd	1.7 ± 0.2ab	2.3 ± 0.2b	5.0 ± 0.1c	6.6 ± 0.3d	18.7 ± 0.3cd	39.3 ± 0.9b	1.7 ± 0.3ab	2.0 ± 0.0abc
nia30	22.4 ± 0.4g	23.7 ± 0.3g	0.5 ± 0.0d	0.7 ± 0.0f	0.9 ± 0.1f	1.3 ± 0.1f	6.7 ± 0.3g	10.7 ± 0.3e	1.3 ± 0.3ab	1.5 ± 0.3d
nia30 plus T42 strain	24.8 ± 0.3f	30.8 ± 0.2f	0.7 ± 0.0c	0.9 ± 0.1e	1.2 ± 0.1f	1.5 ± 0.1f	9.7 ± 0.3f	14.3 ± 0.3d	1.7 ± 0.3ab	2.0 ± 0.0abc

All values represent mean of eight replicates ± standard error. Total nitrogen content in roots was measured at P < 0.05 level. Different letters denote a statistically significant difference according to Duncan’s multiple range test (at P < 0.05). RDM stands for root dry mass whereas SDM for shoot dry matter.