Changes in the rhizosphere microflora of maize seedlings by pretreatment of roots with hormones and urea

Summary Effect of pretreatment of root of maize seedlings with gibberellic acid, maleic hydrazide and urea was investigated. Gibberellic acid at 1 ppm stimulated the growth of fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes in the rhizosphere region of maize seedlings while at 5 ppm concentration population of bacteria and actinomycetes were suppressed. Maleic hydrazide treatment stimulated all the three groups at 5 ppm concentration but at 1 ppm there was increase in population of only fungi and actinomycetes. Urea stimulated the growth of fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes. The order of predominance of different groups also changed with treatments. It was fungi > bacteria > actinomycetes in case of gibberellic acid at 1 ppm and 5 ppm and maleic hydrazide at 1 ppm; and bacteria > fungi > actinomycetes in case of maleic hydrazide at 5 ppm, urea at 0.1M and in control.