Influence of am fungus funneliformis mosseae and k solubilizing bacterium bacillus mucilaginosus on the growth of tomato seedlings raised in pro trays Running head: influence of am fungi and ksb on the growth of tomato seedlings.

Abstract

Raising vegetable seedlings in pro trays is becoming an innovative approach to produce quality seedlings in horticulture. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of AMF Funneliformis mosseae and K solubilizing bacterium Bacillus mucilaginosus singly and together in enhancing the growth of tomato seedlings raised in pro trays under polyhouse conditions. Different growth parameters like shoot and root length, total seedling length, stem diameter, dry weight of seedlings, biovolume index, plant strength, vigourindex, macro and micro nutrientuptake, mycorrhizal root colonization and the population of B. mucilaginosus in the root zone soil were monitored. Significantly higher shoot length,root length, stem diameter and biovolume indexwere recorded in the treatments inoculated with F. mosseae alone followed by B. mucilaginosus alone. Most of the plant growth parameters were significantly less in the dual inoculation treatment with F. mosseae + B. mucilaginosus compared to single inoculation with either of them. This brings out the negativeinfluence of the two inoculants on each other leading to a reducedeffect on plant growth.