Author(s)

Marcel Y. Adoko¹, Haziz Sina¹, Olaréwadjou Amogou¹, Nadège A. Agbodjato¹, Pacôme A. Noumavo^1,2, Ricardos M. Aguégué¹, Sylvestre A. Assogba¹, Nestor Ahoyo Adjovi³, Gustave Dagbénonbakin³, Adolphe Adjanohoun³, Lamine Baba-Moussa^1*

¹Laboratory of Biology and Molecular Typing in Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, University of Abomey Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Benin.
²Laboratory of Microbiology and Food Technology, Department of Plant Biology, University of Abomey Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Benin.
³National Agricultural Research Institute of Benin (INRAB), Benin.

The application of biostimulants in agriculture represents an environmentally friendly alternative while increasing agricultural production. The aims of the study were to develop solid biostimulants based on five rhizobacteria native to Benin’s soils and to evaluate their efficacy on the growth and biomass yield of maize under greenhouse conditions on ferrallitic and ferruginous soils. Clay and peat were used as a conservation binder for the preparation of the biostimulants. These binders were used alone or combined in the different formulations with maize flour and sucrose. 10 g of biostimulants were applied at sowing in pots containing five kilograms of sterilised soil. The experimental design was a completely randomised block of 24 treatments with three replicates. The results obtained showed significant improvements (P < 0.001) in height (49.49%), stem diameter (32.7%), leaf area (66.10%), above-ground biomass (97.12%) and below-ground biomass (53.98%) on ferrallitic soil with the application of the clay + Pseudomonas putida biostimulant compared to the control. On the other hand, the use of the peat biostimulant + Pseudomonas syringae was more beneficial for plant growth on ferruginous soil. The height, stem diameter, leaf area, above-ground biomass and below-ground biomass of the plants under the influence of this biostimulant were improved by 83.06%, 44.57%, 102.94%, 86.84% and 42.68%, respectively, compared to the control. Therefore, these results confirm that Rhizobacteria express their potential through biostimulants formulated on maize. The formulated biostimulants can later be used by producers to improve crop productivity for sustainable agriculture.

Biostimulants, Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria, Soil Fertility, Binder, Corn, Benin

Adoko, M. , Sina, H. , Amogou, O. , Agbodjato, N. , Noumavo, P. , Aguégué, R. , Assogba, S. , Adjovi, N. , Dagbénonbakin, G. , Adjanohoun, A. and Baba-Moussa, L. (2021) Potential of Biostimulants Based on PGPR Rhizobacteria Native to Benin’s Soils on the Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Greenhouse Conditions. Open Journal of Soil Science, 11, 177-196. doi: 10.4236/ojss.2021.113010.