Efficacy of microbial inoculants on reducing the phosphatic fertilizer input in chrysanthemum Chandra Sudhir, Srivastava Nidhi, Narayan Raghvendra P., Sharma Nidhi, Kehri H.K.* Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, 211 002. *Corresponding author: H.K. Kehri, Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211 002; India; Phone: 09335109250, E-mail: kehrihk@rediffmail.com
Abstract Floriculture is emerging as potent and profitable agro-industry in several developed countries, since last few decades. Now many growers in developing and under developing countries are taking up large-scale cultivation of floricultural crops to harness the profit. But high cost of production in terms of fertilizers, irrigation and pesticide is a great hurdle in way of marginal farmers of these countries. So there is need to develop farmer's friendly technologies to increase the profit and production. In recent years, vesicular arbuscular fungi (VAM fungi) and phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSM) have become important biotechnological tools and are being employed to reduce the input of fertilizers and irrigation. In the present study, number of VAM fungi and PSM were evaluated for their efficacy in improving the performance of chrysanthemum. A package of specific VAM-Glomus fasciculatum and PSM-Aspergillus niger was developed for less expensive cultivation of this important floricultural crop. Top Key words VA mycorrhizal fungi, chrysanthemum, Aspergillus niger, Glomus fasciculatum, phosphate solubilising microorganism. Top |