INFLUENCE OF CHITOSAN SOLUTION ON THE VIABILITY OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL SPORES

Abstract

The study was aimed to fortify the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal (AMF) spores, widely used in Bio-fertilizers with chitosan and check the inuence of chitosan on the viability of AMF spores. Chitosan was prepared from shrimp shells using chemical method involving demineralization, deproteinization and deacetylation.AMF spores were kept in three different concentrations of chitosan (0.1%, 0.5 %and 1%) which was prepared in 0.1% acetic acid and 0.1% ascorbic acid. Spore viability was checked by the MTT 3-(4, 5 th th th dimethylthiazol-yl-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) after a day, 10 day, 20 day and 30 day. Highest number of viable spores was observed in chitosan dissolved in 0.1% ascorbic acid as compared to chitosan in acetic acid.