Abstract
Introduction of mycorrhizal associations is a complementary alternative to improve fertilizer absorption efficiency of black pepper ( Piper nigrum Linn.). Therefore, as an initial step, this experiment was carried out to select a suitable spore density of the Arbuscular Mycorrhize (AM) fungus Glomus mosseae for inoculation of rooted cuttings of black pepper in the nursery. Four mycorrhizal inoculum levels of G. mosseae , namely 25 g (T1), 75 g (T2), 150 g (T3) and 300 g (T4) were tested with a control (T5) after quantification of the initial spore density values. The respective quantities of inoculum were incorporated separately to standard size polythene bags (21 cm diameter x 13 cm height; gauge 150) filled with a sterilized standard potting mixture. A two nodal cutting of black pepper (local selection GK 49) was planted in each polythene bag and weeding and watering were done as required. Observation of darkly stained AM hyphae at the 2nd month after inoculation in all the inoculated treatments confirmed the success of inoculation. The heaviest infection of mycorrhizal fungi was observed in roots of T3 treatment showing root colonization, along with mycelium (100 %), vesicles (94 %), and spores (769/50 g) at the 6th month after inoculation. Significantly higher (p DOI: 10.4038/tar.v21i2.2600 Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 21(2): 189-197 (2009)
Highlights
Mycorrhizae are highly evolved symbiotic associations formed between soil fungi and plant roots
The number of live cuttings at the opening of the humid chamber at 21 days after planting revealed that the overall success was very high with 75 % survival, irrespective of treatment effects
Stained Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (AM) hyphae were observed in the samples of rooted cuttings at the 2nd month after inoculation at all inoculum levels except in T5
Summary
Mycorrhizae are highly evolved symbiotic associations formed between soil fungi and plant roots. The AM fungi inoculated to crop plants colonize the plant root system and increase the growth and yield of crop plants including pepper (Rao, 1993; Thanuja, 2002, Durgapal et al, 2002;). An AM fungus, forms large asexual chlamydospores at the hyphal tips, usually one per tip, which are highly infective to genera of herbaceous and woody plants in a wide range of conditions.
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