Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farms of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) and the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in 2015 in south west Nigeria, to determine the effect of Azotobacter, Azospirillum and Mycohrriza (biofertilizers) on agronomic parameters of selected cultivars of maize. A 4 x 3 factorial experiment consisted of four cultivars of maize and three biofertilizers was used. The treatments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design and replicated three times. Compared to un-inoculated maize plots, Azotobacter, Azospirillium and Mycorrhiza significantly (P<0.05) increased plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, grain yield, chlorophyll content, cob diameter, nutrient composition and yield of maize at the two locations. The performance the biofertilizers on plant height, number of leaves and grain yield were in the order of Azotobacter>Azospirillium>Mycorrhiza>-control. Azotobacter and Azospirillium showed significant increase in nutrient uptake and nutritional quality of maize. Azotobacter was the most productive biofertilizer among the treatments.