Influence of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Pseudomonas in the activity of Phosphatase enzyme in maize (Zea mays) in response to cadmium contamination

Abstract

Heavy metal cadmium (Cd2+) tolerant Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi Glomus sp. (AM1) and a bacteria Pseudomonas sp. (PS1) both were isolated from the cadmium polluted soil of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. These isolates along with two standard cultures G. mosseae (AM s) and P. putida (PS s) in sole and combinations were used for green house experiment in Cd spiked soil at varying levels of Cd (0, 75 and 125 ppm). All the growth characters and phytochemical changes in the maize plant were studied on 30 and 60 DAS. Glomus sp. (AM1) and Pseudomonas sp. (PS1) inoculated plants had recorded the highest 21.6 per cent increased alkaline phosphatase activity over shoot at 125 ppm on 60 DAS. But acid phosphatase activity was increased in G. mosseae (AMS) and Pseudomonas sp. (PS1) (7.12 µg of PNPP/g of fresh root tissue).