Isolation and Identification of Bacillus aryabhattai M2C: Its Effects With Vermicompost on Yield and Nutrients of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

A native strain of Bacillus aryabhattai M2C was isolated from peanut root nodules and confirmed for its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen under controlled laboratory conditions. To assess its agronomic potential, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the combined effects of bacterial inoculation and vermicompost on peanut growth, yield, and seed nutritional quality. The trial was arranged in a randomized complete block design with two factors: (i) bacterial inoculation (with or without B. aryabhattai M2C) and (ii) three vermicompost levels (0, 5.0, and 10.0 t ha-1), resulting in six treatment combinations with four replications each. Growth traits, fresh pod yield, and seed nutrient composition were systematically measured. Results showed that although interactions between bacterial inoculation and vermicompost application were not significant for fresh pod yield, inoculation with B. aryabhattai M2C alone increased yield by 7.43% compared with the uninoculated control. Vermicompost at 5.0 and 10.0 t ha-1 did not differ significantly from each other, but both outperformed the untreated control by 6.12% and 8.81%, respectively, while also improving vegetative growth, biomass accumulation, and seed nutritional quality. Despite the inconsistent interactions across all traits between strain M2C and vermicompost, the bacterial strain combined with vermicompost application contributed to yield improvements compared with the control treatments. The integration of strain M2C with 5.0 t ha-1 vermicompost appears to be the optimal strategy, reducing vermicompost input while sustaining yield gains. Overall, this integrated approach represents a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to chemical inputs, with strong potential to improve peanut productivity and support long-term soil fertility management in agricultural ecosystems.