ALKALI TOLERANT PENICILLUM ASTURIANUM AS PLANT GROWTH PROMOTER FOR NUTRIENT DEFICIENT CALCAREOUS SOIL.

ABSTRACT:Objectives: Calcareous soils of India with high soil pH and nutrient deficiency has always been a problem for crop cultivation. Crops grown in these soil record severe nutrient deficiency and yield loss. Biological remediation by microorganism is a novel approach for problematic calcareous soils and can play a major role in enhancing the crop production.Methods: A study was conducted for isolation of native microbial flora from areas where soils having pH more than 8.0.Results: An alkali tolerant Penicillium asturianum (IPL/KB/F3) was isolated from soils recorded with high pH (alkali soils). The isolates showed remarkable amount of alkali tolerance and phosphate solubilising activity along with other insoluble elements. In vitro study showed 54±1.13 to 92±1.16 µg/ml of Phosphate solubilisation within 3-5 days. The isolate was able to tolerate high alkaline pH upto 11.0 and was able to solubilise micronutrients. The isolated Penicillium spp. were allowed to grow at higher concentration of Calcium Carbonate and were studied for its ability for nutrient solubilisation of different insoluble micronutrients.Conclusion: The high tolerance to alkaline pH and capability of nutrient solubilisation by Penicillium asturianum (strain no. IPL/KB/F3) thus identified as novel isolate and can be used as a biological input to improve crop cultivation in alkaline soil.Key words:  Calcareous soil, Isolation, Alkali tolerant, Penicillium asturianum, acid production, Nutrient Solubilisation

ISOLATION AND SCREENING OF ALKALI TOLERANT TRICHODERMA SPP AS BIOCONTROL AGENT FOR ALKALINE AGRICULTURAL SOIL

Objective: The main aim of the study was to screen twenty isolates of Trichoderma spp isolated from high alkaline agricultural soil and non agricultural soil and to test them invitro for their pH levels tolerance and biomass production. Methods: All the twenty Trichoderma spp isolates were assessed for growth and biomass yield at different alkaline pH 9, 10, 11 on nutrient medium PCA and PCB. The growth were measured in terms of mycelial weight (cell biomass) and sporulation. The most tolerant isolates were further studied for their biocontrol activity against phytopathogen isolated from same location. Results: Significant variations in the growth of the isolates were recorded with increasing pH. Different isolates of same species also varies in their growth and biomass yield at pH 7, 9, 10, and 11. The isolates were screened for highest growth at pH 11 in terms of biomass yield. 12 isolates showed prominent biomass yield at pH 10.0, but only 5 isolates were able to grow prominently at pH 11 Conclusion: The study concluded that Trichoderma spp isolated from alkali soil with a high pH of more than 11 was only able to grow under high pH range of 9, 10, 11 and also exhibited maximum antagnostic activity for the pathogens studied

Co-cultivation of Curcuma longa with Piriformospora indica Enhances the Yield and Active Ingredients

The rhizome of Curcuma longa is used in the traditional medicinal system. Its secondary metabolites curcumin and the volatile oil possess wound-healing properties and inhibitory activities against certain pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Piriformospora indica is a root endophytic fungus that colonizes many plant roots and promotes the growth. P. indica was cultivated in the 5 litre capacity fermentor under standard conditions. The filtered biomass was then mixed with raw talcum powder. The propagative buds were treated with this formulation containing both sterile and inoculated fungus. We demonstrated that co- cultivation of C. longa and P. indica resulted in pronounced productivity and enhanced secondary metabolites- curcumin and volatile oil in farmers’ field. To the authors best of knowledge this is the first report where symbiotic fungus has added value to this medicinal plant in the agricultural field

Isolation and characterization of a newly discovered plant growth-promoting endophytic fungal strain from the genus Talaromyces

Abstract In the Kandi zone of Punjab, India, root and rhizospheric soil samples were collected from the local vegetation near the Shivalik mountain foothills. Fifteen fungal colonies exhibiting distinct cultural morphology on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates were selected for plant–microbe interaction studies. Among these, the isolate HNB9 was identified as a nonpathogenic root colonizer. Morphological and molecular analyses confirmed HNB9 as Talaromyces albobiverticillius, characterized by the secretion of a red pigment as a secondary metabolite. Plants colonized with T. albobiverticillius HNB9 exhibited enhanced growth, manifesting in increased shoot and root length compared to untreated controls. This study unveiled the first evidence that a species from the Talaromyces genus, specifically T. albobiverticillius, possesses dual capabilities of root colonization and plant growth promotion. Moreover, HNB9 demonstrated the production of plant growth-regulating compounds like Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) and proficient solubilization of crucial nutrients (Phosphorous, Zinc, and Silica) through plate culture methods. This finding represents a significant contribution to the understanding of root-colonizing fungi with plant growth-promoting attributes, challenging the existing knowledge gap within the Talaromyces genus