Enhancement of 4-Hydroxyisoleucine Content of Trigonella Foenum-Graecum (Fenugreek) by Trichoderma viride

Abstract

Trigonella foenum- graecum (fenugreek) is a leguminous plant with poor nitrogen fixing ability. The current study deals with the effects of T.viride on growth, yield and 4-hydroxyisoleucine content in fenugreek. 4-hydroxyisoleucine is an antidiabetic compound present only in plants particularly in fenugreek. Treatment of fenugreek seeds with T.viride enhanced the growth, yield and 4-hydroxyisoleucine content significantly compared to control. Seeds were treated with T.viride suspension (107spores/seed) and untreated seeds (1 ml distilled water/ seed) served as control sown in pots filled with potting soil. Several growth parameters like root length and lateral root expansion, shoot length, yield, chlorophyll and nitrogen were estimated. 4-hydroxyisoleucine content in fenugreek seeds was estimated by ninhydrin method. A significant increase of 25 % in root length and 128 % in lateral root expansion and 50 % in shoot length was observed in treated plants over control. The total yield increased by 95 % in treated one. The total chlorophyll content exceeded by 21.86 % and total plant nitrogen by 121.73 %. An increase of 27 % of 4-hydroxyisoleucine content is observed in treated fenugreek plants over control.