Seed Coating with Biodegradable Stickers for Enhancement of Inoculant Viability and Their Beneficial Properties on Seed Germination of Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper.]

Background: This study assessed the effect of different sticking agents viz., gum arabic, guar gum and xanthan gum for coating Rhizobium sp. and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on seed germination and vigour of blackgram seeds. Methods: The surface sterilised seeds were first coated with different sticking agents as per the following treatments, T0 - Dry seed, T1 - Water, T2 - Gum arabic 20% w/v, T3 - Guar gum 0.5% w/v, T4 - Xanthan gum 0.3% w/v followed by coating with Rhizobium sp. and AMF liquid cultures. Result: Among the different sticking agents, gum arabic (20%) when used as a sticker for coating Rhizobium sp. and AMF, increased the seed germination (95%) and vigour index (21.85) of blackgram compared to the control. The efficacy of inoculation depended on the survival of inoculants on seeds. On using sticking agents, the survival of microbes could be extended up to 48 h of treatment and 87 per cent AMF colonization with gum arabic (20%) as deduced from the viability studies.