What question did this study set out to answer?

To enhance growth parameters of Zea mays, Abelmoschus esculentus, and Cucurbita pepo using biofertilizers from forest soil and water hyacinth compost.

March 4, 2026Bulletin of the National Research Centre/Bulletin of the National Research Center0 citationsOpen Access

Enhancing plant growth parameters with synergistic application of biofertilizing bacteria from forest soil and Eichhornia crassipes compost

RARoseline N. AkwukwaegbuUniversity of Port Harcourt PAPeter Ikechukwu AkwukwaegbuImo State University HSH. O. StanleyUniversity of Port Harcourt

Key Points

To enhance growth parameters of Zea mays, Abelmoschus esculentus, and Cucurbita pepo using biofertilizers from forest soil and water hyacinth compost.
Soil collected from three forest locations at different depths.
Bacterial and physicochemical analyses performed on soil samples.
Five treatments were established to assess different combinations of soil, microbial inoculant, and compost.
Growth parameters measured after 60 days of planting.
Total Heterotrophic Bacteria counts ranged from 0.26 to 1.00 × 1011 cfu/g.
Significant improvements observed in plant height, yield, and nutrient absorption in treatments with MI + WHC.
Higher levels of IAA and gibberellin A4 found in plants treated with MI + WHC compared to other treatments.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to enhance the growth parameters of three plants (Zea mays, Abelmoschus esculentus and Cucurbita pepo) with synergistic application of biofertilizers produced with bacteria, forest soils and Eichhornia crassipes compost. Soil was collected from selected forests in (Etche, Ogbogoro and Choba) from various soil horizons (0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm) depth. Soils parameters (bacteria count and physicochemical properties) were analysed, afterwards soils from different depth were pooled together for further analysis. Soil samples from the three forests were equally mixed to form a single soil in the ratio of 1:1:1 and used to make five treatments as follow: only mixed soil (control), 2 kg of soil + 0.1 kg microbial inoculant (MI), 2 kg of soil + 0.1 kg Water Hyacinth Compost (WHC), 2 kg of soil + 0.1 kg MI + 0.1 kg WHC, and 2 kg of soil + 0.1 kg chemical fertilizer Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK: 20-10-10). The efficacy of the bacterial inoculant and WHC product, were tested on 3 different plants (Abelmoschus esculentus, Zea mays and Cucurbita pepo) in different experimental set up. Results of the microbial count ranged from 0.26 ± 4.50 × 1010 to 1.00 ± 2.07 × 1011 cfu/g for the Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THB), Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) and Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria (NFB). Pseudomonas sp and Bacillus sp were the abundant PSM and NFB isolated from the soil. There was a significant improvement in the growth of the plant species as indicated in their shoots, leaves area, total chlorophyll content, germination rate, height, yield and nutrient absorption rate after 60 days of planting with the best performance recorded in the treatment with combination of MI + WHC. Also, the content of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin A4 (GA4) in shoots and leaves of crops was higher in soil treated with combination of MI + WHC than other treatments. These studies have shown that biofertilizer should be adopted in crop production to boost plant growth parameters, nutrient levels and hormones and that treatment with MI, WHC or combination of MI + WHC offered better efficiency than the use of NPK fertilizer.

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Cite This Study

Akwukwaegbu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69a7cd9dd48f933b5eeda2a4 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-026-01403-0

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