Biofertilizers containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhance nutrient uptake and improve the growth and yield of chickpea plants in an arid environment

Integrated nutrient management is anticipated as an environmentally friendly method toward sustainable agricultural development and optimum crop production with reduced environmental impacts. In the present study, the pastel sulfur (SPA), powdered sulfur (SPO), sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB), phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), and potassium solubilizing bacteria (KSB) were applied. The experimental treatments included (1) SPA, (2) SPO, (3) SOB, (4) SPA + SOB, (5) SPO + SOB, (6) SPA + SOB + NFB + PSB + KSB, (7) SPO + SOB + NFB + PSB + KSB, (8) SOB + NFB + PSB + KSB, (9) NFB + PSB + KSB, and (10) control. The result demonstrated that the application of biofertilizers increased soil bacterial population, photosynthetic pigment content, and grain yield. The highest photosynthetic pigments were observed in NFB + PSB + KSB. The greatest nitrogen fixation nodules and active nodules percentage were recorded in SPA + SOB + NFB + PSB + KSB. The biofertilizers enhanced the grain, plant, and soil N, P, and K contents compared with the control. The maximum number of pods per plant, biological yield, grain yield, and 100-grain weight were obtained from SPO + SOB + NFB + PSB + KSB and SPA + SOB + NFB + PSB + KSB. Overall, biofertilizers could be a key strategy to maintain soil quality toward agricultural sustainability.