Microbial Consortium Promotes Growth of Zinnia and Balsam Seedlings Raised in pro trays

Zinnia and Balsam are flowering plants with high economic importance in floriculture. Inoculation of the planting medium with a beneficial microbial consortium is an innovative approach to produce quality and healthy seedlings in floriculture. In the present study the influence of a microbial consortium of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Funneliformis mosseae and a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) Bacillus sonorensis on flowering plants Zinnia and Balsam in pro-trays under poly house conditions was investigated. Estimation of various plant growth parameters such as plant height, stem diameter, bio-volume index, vigour index, plant strength, fresh weight, dry weight and nutrient uptake was carried out to analyse the ability of the consortium to improve seedling growth. Microbial parameters such as mycorrhizal root colonization and spore count, and population of PGPR in substrate was also studied. The results suggested that inoculating the substrate in pro trays before sowing the seeds with the consortium increased plant growth significantly compared to the uninoculated plants

Response of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) seedlings to vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

The growth response of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seedlings (cv, Malabar) to 13 different vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was tested under mat house conditions at Bangalore, India, In general, seedlings inoulated with the fungi grew taller, had more number of leaves and tillers, increased seedling biomass and uptake of nutrients compared to control seedlings, Among the various mycorrhizal fungi tested, seedlings inoculated with Gigaspora margarita and Glomus monosporum exhibited significantly higher growth with increased uptake of nutrients, &nbsp

Response of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) seedlings to vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

The growth response of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seedlings (cv, Malabar) to 13 different vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was tested under mat house conditions at Bangalore, India, In general, seedlings inoulated with the fungi grew taller, had more number of leaves and tillers, increased seedling biomass and uptake of nutrients compared to control seedlings, Among the various mycorrhizal fungi tested, seedlings inoculated with Gigaspora margarita and Glomus monosporum exhibited significantly higher growth with increased uptake of nutrients, &nbsp

Interaction between a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and Streptomyces cinnamomeous and their effects on finger millet

Growth and P nutrition of Eleusine coracana on a sterile P-deficient soil was improved by inoculation with either Glomus fasciculatus or S. cinnamomeous. The micro-organisms interacted antagonistically when added simultaneously or with a 2-wk interval between them: S. reduced spore production and development of infection by G. while G. reduced the multiplication of S. Because of this antagonism dual inoculations stimulated plant growth less than single ones.ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT:The growth and phosphorus nutrition of Eleusine coracana on a sterile P-deficient soil was improved by inoculation with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus fasciculatus or with Streptomyces cinnamomeous. These microorganisms interacted antagonistically, so inoculation of E. coracana with both did not give as much growth stimulation as inoculation with either alon

Response of Coleus aromaticus to Glomus fasciculatum and other beneficial soil microflora

Stem cuttings of Coleus aromaticus were treated with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (Glomus fasciculatum) and beneficial microorganisms viz., Bacillus coagulans, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Azotobacter chroococcum and Trichoderma harzianum either singly or in combination of organisms. The number of leaves and branches; total biomass, nitrogen and phosphorus contents were higher in plants treated with G. fasciculatum alone. Synergistic effect was noticed especially in plants treated with G. fasciculatum + P. fluorescens. Mycorrhizal colonization in roots was also maximum when V AM was applied alone. &nbsp

Response of Coleus aromaticus to Glomus fasciculatum and other beneficial soil microflora

Stem cuttings of Coleus aromaticus were treated with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (Glomus fasciculatum) and beneficial microorganisms viz., Bacillus coagulans, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Azotobacter chroococcum and Trichoderma harzianum either singly or in combination of organisms. The number of leaves and branches; total biomass, nitrogen and phosphorus contents were higher in plants treated with G. fasciculatum alone. Synergistic effect was noticed especially in plants treated with G. fasciculatum + P. fluorescens. Mycorrhizal colonization in roots was also maximum when V AM was applied alone. &nbsp

Effect of potential bioinoculants and organic manures on root-rot and wilt, growth, yield and quality of organically grown Coleus forskohlii in a semiarid tropical region of Bangalore (India)

Based on earlier results obtained in pot experiments, 2-year field experiments were conducted with five bioinoculants and neem cake under organic field conditions (with vermicompost as a nutritional supplement) to evaluate their potential to control root-rot and wilt (a complex problem involving Fusarium chlamydosporum and Ralstonia solanacearum) of the medicinal plant Coleus forskohlii. Plants treated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus fasciculatum), neem cake or Pseudomonas fluorescens showed significantly increased plant height (15-31%), plant spread (25-33%), number of branches (63-67%) and dry root (129-200%) yields, and reduced disease incidence (47-50%) compared to controls. Increases in yields were reflected by increases in N (51-81%), P (17-76%) and K (44-74%) uptake. The forskolin content of the roots was found not to be affected by any of the bioinoculants, but forskolin yield (calculated) was increased significantly by treatment with G. fasciculatum (227%), neem cake (222%) or P. fluorescens (159%)

Stressed out symbiotes:hypotheses for the influence of abiotic stress on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abiotic stress is a widespread threat to both plant and soil communities. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can alleviate effects of abiotic stress by improving host plant stress tolerance, but the direct effects of abiotic stress on AM fungi are less well understood. We propose two hypotheses predicting how AM fungi will respond to abiotic stress. The stress exclusion hypothesis predicts that AM fungal abundance and diversity will decrease with persistent abiotic stress. The mycorrhizal stress adaptation hypothesis predicts that AM fungi will evolve in response to abiotic stress to maintain their fitness. We conclude that abiotic stress can have effects on AM fungi independent of the effects on the host plant. AM fungal communities will change in composition in response to abiotic stress, which may mean the loss of important individual species. This could alter feedbacks to the plant community and beyond. AM fungi will adapt to abiotic stress independent of their host plant. The adaptation of AM fungi to abiotic stress should allow the maintenance of the plant-AM fungal mutualism in the face of changing climates. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00442-016-3673-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users