Effect of Azospirillum brasilense and Methylobacterium oryzae Inoculation on Growth of Red Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Plant growth-promoting effects of rhizobacterial inoculation obtained in pot experiments cannot always be dependably reproduced in fields. In this study, we investigated the effect of inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and Methylobacterium oryzae, which have displayed growth promoting effects in several pot experiments, on growth and fruit yield of red pepper under field condition in a plastic-film house. Four rows spaced 90 cm apart were prepared after application of compost ($10Mg\;ha^{-1}$), and red pepper seedlings (Capsicum annum L., Nocgwang) were transplanted in each row with 40-cm space. Experimental treatments were consisted of A. brasilense CW903 inoculation, M. oryzae CBMB20 inoculation, and uninoculated control. Twelve plots, 10 plants per plot, were allotted to the three treatments with four replicates in a completely randomized design. At the time of transplanting, 50 mL of each inoculum ($1{\times}10^8cells\;mL^{-1}$) was introduced into root zone soil of each plant, and re-inoculated at 7 and 14 days after transplant. Plant growth and fruit yield were measured during the experiment. Both A. brasilense CW903 and M. oryzae CBMB20 could not promote growth of red pepper plants. All growth parameters measured were not significantly different among treatments. There were large variations in fruit yield recorded on plot basis, and no statistically significant differences were found among treatments. The failure to demonstrate the expected plant growth promoting effect of the inoculants is possibly due to various environmental factors, including weather and soil characteristics, reducing the possibility to express the potential of the inoculated bacterial strains.