Effect of Lime, Compost and Microbial Inoculants on Micronutrient Removal by Mustard and Maize in Trace Metal Contaminated Soil of Jharkhand

A field experiment was conducted on trace metal contaminated soil at Patratu (Ramgarh) to study the effect of lime, compost, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on micronutrient removal viz. Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe in mustard-maize cropping system. Results reveal that inoculation with Glomus mossae, Pseudomonas striata and Azotobacter chroococcum increased Zn concentration to the extent 13 to 32, 10 to 24 and 9 to 24 (%), respectively over control. Copper, manganese and iron uptake followed almost similar trend as that of Zn. Microbial inoculants with or without vermicompost increased the trace metal removal, however, vermicompost alone decreased the removal. It was observed that microbial inoculations reduced the total Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe content in soil. However, available micronutrients were significantly reduced by microbial inoculation and amendments.