Influence of bio inoculants on growth and rooting of hardwood stem cutting of pomegranate cv. Super Bhagwa

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a drought-tolerant, high-value fruit crop known for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions, it plays a significant role in dryland horticulture due to its adaptability, high economic returns, and export potential. However, commercial propagation of pomegranate, particularly the Super Bhagwa variety, is often hindered by poor rooting and uneven establishment of hardwood stem cuttings. To address this, the present study investigated the effect of different bioinoculants and their combinations on the vegetative performance of pomegranate cuttings under polyhouse conditions. Eleven treatments involving individual and consortial applications of Trichoderma harzianum, Glomus fasciculatum (VAM), Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens were evaluated. The results showed significant enhancement in early sprouting, shoot proliferation, leaf development, and root growth in bioinoculant-treated cuttings compared to the untreated control. The consortium treatment T₁₀ (VAM + T. harzianum + B. subtilis + P. fluorescens) recorded the best performance, with the earliest sprouting (6.50 days), highest shoot count (10.89), leaf production (93.86 leaves/cutting), and superior root biomass (6.69 g dry weight; 34.6 cm root length). These results suggest that integrated microbial inoculants significantly improve the propagation efficiency and vigor of pomegranate cuttings and may be recommended as a sustainable nursery practice for quality planting material production.