Evaluating diazotrophic endophytic bacteria consortium on the physiology of various varieties of rice (Oryza sativa) in rainfed lowlands

Rainfed land is usually poor in nutrients including nitrogen nutrients. A consortium of endophytic bacteria can fix nitrogen from the air so that it is expected to improve the physiology of lowland rice varieties. This study was conducted during June 2022 at rainfed rice fields in Demangan, Sambi, Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia to determine the analysis of the growth of paddy varieties at various doses of the endophytic bacteria consortium. This research used a completely randomized block design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was a consortium of endophytic bacteria with a dose of 0, 20, 30, and 40 L/ha/application, while the second factor was varieties paddy i.e., Situbagendit, Ciherang and Mekongga. The results showed that the dose of endophytic bacteria consortium 40 L/ha/application showed an increase in leaf area index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD), net assimilation rate (NAR), and crop growth rate (CGR) compared to doses of 0, 20 and 30 L/ha/application. The implication of this research is that in rainfed rice fields to increase LAI, LAD, NAR and CGR of rice varieties, it is better to use a consortium dose of diazotroph endophytic bacteria 40 L/ha/application and can use Situbagendit, Ciherang or Mekongga varieties.
