Growth and Mineral Content of Cabbage Seedlings in Response to Nitrogen Fixing Rhizobacteria Treatment

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to observe the effect of Paenibacilluspolymyxa sfrain RC14 (PGPR-Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) inoculation on growth and nutrient content of cabbage seedling in 2012 and 2103. The seeds of cabbage were incubated in the flasks by shaking at 80 rpm for two hours at 28 degrees C to coat the seeds with the rhizobacteria. The results suggested that PGPR treatments increased fresh and dry shoot and root weight, stem diameter, seedling height and leaf area of cabbage seedlings in this study compared to control. Seed inoculation with PGPR increased shoot fresh weight by 6-519, shoot dry weight by 13-109, root fresh weight by 27-129, root dry weight by 12-37% in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Furthermore, PGPR inoculations increased the macro and micro nufrient content of leaf and root of cabbage seedlings. As a result, based on the results of the experiment reported herein, the use of rhizobacteria treatments may provide a means of improving seedling growth and quality in cabbage