Table 3.
Influence of Rhizobium strains on root characteristics of French bean crop.
| Treatments | Days after germination (DAG) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 40 | 60 | |
| Root length (cm) | |||
| Control | 5.8 ± 0.03a | 6.7 ± 0.03a | 7.9 ± 0.04a |
| Strain- 1 (S1) | 6.4 ± 0.04bc | 7.2 ± 0.04ab | 8.4 ± 0.05b |
| Strain- 2 (S2) | 6.8 ± 0.04c | 7.6 ± 0.04c | 8.9 ± 0.06d |
| Lime (L) | 5.9 ± 0.05b | 6.9 ± 0.04a | 8.0 ± 0.05a |
| S1 + L | 7.4 ± 0.06d | 7.5 ± 0.05bc | 8.7 ± 0.05c |
| S2 + L | 7.9 ± 0.06d | 8.1 ± 0.06d | 9.4 ± 0.06e |
| Root biomass (g) | |||
| Control | 2.4 ± 0.01a | 3.5 ± 0.02a | 3.6 ± 0.01a |
| Strain- 1 (S1) | 2.8 ± 0.01b | 3.9 ± 0.02b | 4.4 ± 0.02b |
| Strain- 2 (S2) | 2.9 ± 0.02b | 4.8 ± 0.03c | 5.2 ± 0.02cd |
| Lime (L) | 3.4 ± 0.03c | 4.6 ± 0.03c | 5.0 ± 0.02c |
| S1 + L | 3.8 ± 0.03d | 4.8 ± 0.03c | 5.7 ± 0.03d |
| S2 + L | 4.4 ± 0.04e | 5.6 ± 0.05d | 6.7 ± 0.04e |
| Root volume (m3) | |||
| Control | 5.1 ± 0.03a | 5.3 ± 0.04a | 5.6 ± 0.03a |
| Strain- 1 (S1) | 5.8 ± 0.04c | 6.1 ± 0.05b | 6.3 ± 0.04b |
| Strain- 2 (S2) | 5.9 ± 0.04c | 6.4 ± 0.05c | 6.8 ± 0.04bc |
| Lime (L) | 5.3 ± 0.03b | 6.1 ± 0.05b | 6.6 ± 0.04b |
| S1 + L | 5.7 ± 0.04c | 6.8 ± 0.06d | 7.1 ± 0.05c |
| S2 + L | 6.0 ± 0.05d | 6.9 ± 0.07d | 7.8 ± 0.06d |
| Root density (g cm−3) | |||
| Control | 0.47 ± 0.01a | 0.64 ± 0.01a | 0.64 ± 0.01a |
| Strain- 1 (S1) | 0.48 ± 0.01b | 0.66 ± 0.01b | 0.70 ± 0.02b |
| Strain- 2 (S2) | 0.49 ± 0.01b | 0.75 ± 0.02d | 0.76 ± 0.01c |
| Lime (L) | 0.64 ± 0.02c | 0.75 ± 0.01d | 0.76 ± 0.01c |
| S1 + L | 0.67 ± 0.02d | 0.71 ± 0.01c | 0.80 ± 0.02d |
| S2 + L | 0.73 ± 0.03e | 0.81 ± 0.02e | 0.86 ± 0.02e |
Mean values (mean ± SE, n = 4) followed by different letters are statistically different (ANOVA; Duncan’s multiple- test range, p ≤ 0.05).