3.2 Effect of rhizobacteria on rate of photosynthesis and
transpiration
Photosynthesis parameters were computed using an infra-red gas analyser
(IRGA) and presented in Table 3 . The average rate of
photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance increased
significantly (P<0.05) in rhizobacterial treated plants and
showed an average decrease in nematode inoculated plants, as compared to
untreated control at 45 days of nematode inoculation. The average rate
of photosynthesis in the rhizobacterial treatments was in the range of
26.07- 28.13 μmol
CO2m−2s−1,in
the absence of nematode, 23.90 to 25.47 in the presence of nematode, as
compared to a low of 16.27 in nematode inoculated control. The average
rate of transpiration declined significantly (7.23 mmol
H2O m−2s−1) on
nematode inoculation but enhanced in the range of 7.72-9.83 mmol
H2O m−2s−1 in
rhizobacterial treatments in presence of the nematode. This effect of
enhanced transpiration was also evident in rhizobacterial treatments
without nematode. No significant difference was observed in the stomatal
conductance and leaf temperature in any rhizobacterial treatment as
compared to control.