Products

Rhizogold: A multi-strain biofertilizer for the production of legumes

What is Rhizogold? Rhizogold is a multi-strain biofertilizer developed from the competent strain of rhizobia and PGPR containing ACC-deaminase. This is the only biofertilizer in Pakistan which has been developed by the combined use of rhizobia and PGPR containing ACC-deaminase. These strains were isolated from specific legumes, characterized, and identified in the Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Lab., Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The competency of Rhizogold has been established by conducting field trials at various locations in the Punjab. Rhizogold improves the growth, nodulation, and yield of legumes through several traits like reduction of ethylene by ACC-deaminase activity, phosphate solubilization, root colonization, hormone production and pathogen suppression. Thus, Rhizogold improves growth, nodulation, and yield of its specific legume crop.

Legumes in Pakistan are grown on marginal lands and in rainfed areas which results in poor yields. Under arid and semi-arid conditions, the nodulation of the legumes is poor because of a number of biotic and abiotic stresses. Each legume has its specific Rhizogold: Rhizogold-Mung for mung bean, Rhizogold-Gram for gram and Rhizogold-Lentil for lentil etc.

Rhizogold increase the yield of its respective legume up to 15-20% even on marginal lands. This would also reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and thus significantly save the farmer’s input expenses. Farmer can get significant additional income by spending a small amount on the use of Rhizogold and the use of chemical fertilizers will be reduced. Also, the use of pesticides may be reduced, thus decreasing the deterioration of the environment, and reducing the input price as well. Rhizogold also improves the protein contents of legumes.

Rhizogold is a quality product which contain 108 to 109 cells of bacterial strain per gram.

Applications

As these are LIVE bacteria, therefore store in cool place at 4 to 260 C.

Make sure that the name of the selected crop for Rhizogold application is mentioned on the packet because Rhizogold is specific for each legume and may not be effective for any other crop.

Prepare sugar solution in such quantity of water that may be enough to soak all seed and dip the seed in the solution.

Spread the soaked seed on clean place under the shade. Open the Rhizogold packet, dust it on the seed and mix it properly so that Rhizogold may attached to all seed.

Allow the seed to dry under shade for 30 minutes. After drying this seed is ready for sowing.

Sowing of seed must be done early in the morning or evening.

Protect the seed from direct sun light or heat after application of Biofertilizer and do not keep it for long time.

Acknowledgement

We are thankful to the HEC for providing financial support for the development of Rhizogold.

Rhizogold Plus: A multi-strain biofertilizer for production of cereals for salt affected soils

What is RhizogoldPlus? RhizogoldPlus (RG+) is a multi-strain biofertilizer developed from the efficient strains of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) containing ACC-deaminase to mitigate the impact of salinity stress on cereals. This the only biofertilizer in Pakistan which has been developed to cope with the salinity stress for sustainable production of cereals. These strains were isolated from salt affected rhizosphere soils of cereals and characterized in Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Lab., Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. RG+ protect the cereals by alleviating salinity stress and improves plant health and vigor by several traits like reduction of salinity induced ethylene by ACC-deaminase activity, increasing K+/Na+ ratio, improving water relations of plants, auxin production, phosphorus solublization, root colonization and production of exopolysaccharides which chelates with Na+ and thus reduce its uptake from salt affected soils. Therefore, RG+ improves growth and yield of its specific cereal crop.

Pakistan is situated in arid and semi-arid region of the world where salinity is one of the serious threats for sustainable agriculture. Pressure on cereal production is increasing to meet the food requirements of the burgeoning population of Pakistan. Salinity adversely effects the growth and yield of the cereals mainly wheat and maize crops. So, there is dire need to adopt cost effective and ecosystem friendly approaches for better crop production from salt affected soils. Use of biofertilizer is a promising option to handle such situation. RG⁺ is a biofertilizer which has been developed for two cereal crops i.e. wheat and maize.

Each cereal crop has its specific RG⁺ i.e. RG⁺ for wheat and RG⁺ for maize. Strains used in the biofertilizer have potential to significantly increase the yield of respective cereal crop from salt affected soils. This would secure the farmer capital by minimizing the chances of economical loss due to detrimental effect of salinity.

Application

RG⁺ is a quality product which contain 10⁸ to 10⁹ cells of each bacterial strain per gram.

As these are LIVE bacteria, so it is better to store RG⁺ in cool place at 4 to 26⁰ C.

Make sure that the name of the selected crop for RG⁺ application is mentioned on the packet because RG⁺ is specific for each legume and may not be effective for any other crop.

Prepare sugar solution in such quantity of water that may be enough to soak all seed and dip the seed in the solution.

Spread the soaked seed on clean place under the shade. Open the RG⁺ packet, dust it on the seed and mix it properly so that RG⁺ may attached to all seed.

Allow the seed to dry under shade for 30 minutes. After drying this seed is ready for sowing.

Sowing of seed must be done early in the morning or evening.

Protect the seed from direct sun light or heat after application of Biofertilizer and do not keep it for long time.

Acknowledgement

We acknowledged the financial support provided by HEC for development of Rhizogold^Plus

Burrakh: A multi-strain biofertilizer for the production of legumes

What is Burrakh? Rhizogold is a multi-strain biofertilizer cum bioherbicide developed from the allelopathic bacteria that can suppress the growth of weeds in wheat crop. This is the only biofertilizer in Pakistan which has the dual mode of action by acting as a biofertilizer as well as a bioherbicide. These rhizobacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of wheat as well as its weeds, characterized, and identified in the Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Lab., Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The competency of Burrakh has been established by conducting field trials at various locations in the Punjab. Burrakh improves the growth, and yield of wheat through several traits and weeds suppression.

Weeds pose threats to crop production more than other pests and the conventional control practices are no longer sustainable. This is due to growing costs and shortage of labor, land degradation and cost of tillage, herbicide resistance, pollution of soil, air and water-bodies by herbicides, residues in food items and deadly diseases and deaths faced by all life forms. However, rhizobacteria inhibitory to weeds due to production of their phytotoxic metabolites remained ignored in the past. The production of phytotoxins in the rhizosphere avoids the exposure of these substances to other life forms and environment. The presence of selectivity in these rhizobacteria further increases the opportunities for development of a bioherbicide using them. Rhizobacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of wheat and economically important weeds of wheat (wild oat, little seed canary grass, and broad-leaved dock). These rhizobacteria were characterized for production of phytotoxic substances through HCN production, E. coli antimetabolite and agar bioassay on sensitive seedlings. The potential candidates for biocontrol agents were further tested on weeds and wheat under axenic conditions in growth room trials. Five strains of allelopathic bacteria were evaluated under natural conditions in pot and field trials. Finally, a consortium of four Pseudomonas strains has been selected after extensive evaluation of different combinations under natural conditions for development of “Burrakh”.
Application

Burrakh is a carrier based bioherbicides containing live bacteria for suppressing wild oat (WO), little seed canary grass (LSCG) and broad-leaved dock (BLD). Field studies revealed a reduced population density of WO (45.9%), LSCG (45.3%) and BLD (39.2%). In addition, it also improved wheat yield from 16-19%. Application of Burrakh not only reduces input cost of the wheat production but also provides an additional income through enhancing wheat production by suppressing weeds. Moreover, it will reduce not only the environmental impact of chemical herbicides by reducing application but also save billions of rupees spent on herbicidal import.

Acknowledgement

We are thankful to the HEC for providing financial support for the development of Burrakh.