Journal Of Applied Horticulture ISSN: 0972-1045



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L. Srimathi Priya and K. Kumutha

Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore- 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India.

Key words: AM fungi, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, Coleus forskohlii, colonization, root rot index, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, alkaloid.

Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2014, volume 16, issue 1, pages 46-49.

Abstract: This study was taken up to determine the combined effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in controlling root rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina in Coleus forskohlii. AM root colonization was up to 70-73 per cent under combined inoculation of Scutellospora sp + Pseudomonasfluorescens + Trichoderma viride and 44-45 per cent under individual inoculation. A correlation analysis indicated that more the AM root colonization (73 per cent) less the root rot (28 per cent) incidence. The activity of the defense enzymes viz., peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and superoxide dismutase was found to be high at 30 days after inoculation of the pathogen in the co-inoculated treatments. Another correlation study between AM colonization and enzyme activity, showed low root rot index. There was a loss in the alkaloid content due to pathogen infection, yet, the combined treatments recorded a threefold increase in disease suppression.



Journal of Applied Horticulture