Screening of an efficient AM fungi isolate in rice

Abstract

The response of the wetland rice to inoculation with ten arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) from rice rhizosphere were studied in a pot experiment under puddled condition to select the most efficient AMF for inoculating rice. The experiment was conducted during the year 2018-19 at Agriculture Research Station, Amaravathi. A sandy clay loam soil was used. The AMF was inoculated @ 30 spores per plant at time of transplanting in root zone and crop response was studied. Plant growth parameters plant height (95.80 cm), number of productive tillers (12.00) and grain yield (4520.57 kg ha-1), available soil nutrients (N,P,K) (127.06 kg h-1, 29.66 kg ha-1 and 261.83 kg ha-1 respectively), nutrient uptake (N,P,K) in stover (25.30 kg h-1, 7.96 kg ha-1 and 93.60 kg ha-1 respectively) and grain (32.60 kg h-1, 10.10 kg ha-1 and 13.70 kg ha-1 respectively), enzyme activity(dehydrogenase 78.79 μg TPF g-1 soil day-1, acid phosphatase 38.70 µg pNP g-1 soil h-1 and alkaline phosphatase 61.21 µg pNP g-1 soil h-1) and AMF activity (spore load of 31.33 spores per 10 g soil and per cent root colonization 47.51%) were highest in the treatment T8 with isolate 28. The above results clearly showed that the isolate 28 can be better utilized for rice cultivation to enhance plant growth and yield.