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**Figure 3.** Pearson correlation of Cd, PGPRs, and RNPKF for number of bitter gourd per plant (BDP). \* = significant (*p* ≤ 0.05); ns = non-significant.

#### *3.2. Bitter Gourd Fruit Length*

Effects of PGPRs inoculation and application of RNPKF under various Cd levels were significant (*p* ≤ 0.05) on bitter gourd fruit length (FL). Application of RNPKF + *S. maltophilia* and RNPKF + *A. fabrum* were significantly different from control at 2 and 5 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil for FL. It was observed that RNPKF showed a positive significantly better response at 2 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil but remained non-significant at 5 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil over control for FL (Figure 4). Main effects of PGPRs and RNPKF were significant, but their interaction remained non-significant for FL at 2 and 5 mg kg−<sup>1</sup> soil. Disordinal non-significant interaction was found between PGPRs and RNPKF at 2 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil, but the interaction was non-significant ordinal at 5 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil for FL. Cadmium showed significant but negative correlation (−0.6399; *p* = 0.0001) with FL. Inoculation of PGPRs (0.2239; *p* = 0.1893) gave non-significant positive correlation, while RNPKF (0.3835; *p* = 0.021) showed positive significant

correlation with FL (Figure 5). The maximum increase of 19 and 29% in FL was observed from control where RNPKF + *A. fabrum* was applied at 2 and 5 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil, respectively.

**Figure 4.** Bitter gourd fruit length (cm) treated with PGPRs, RNPKF, and their combination under 2 and 5 mg Cd kg−<sup>1</sup> soil. Different small letters express significant differences at *<sup>p</sup>* <sup>≤</sup> 0.05.

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**Figure 5.** Pearson correlation of Cd, PGPRs, and RNPKF for fruit length (FL). \* = significant (*p* ≤ 0.05); ns = non-significant.
