ICOM1 Abstract
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ANUPAMA RATTAN* & ALOK ADHOLEYA. Tata Energy Research Institute, Darbari
Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003, India. -
Effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on the growth and nutrient uptake of
three ornamental plants
Three ornamental plants (Petunia hybrida, Calistephous chinensis,
Impatiens balsamina) were tested for their response with mixed
indigenous culture in highly alkaline, nutrient deficient soils of
northern India. All the three plast species responded positively to
mycorrhizal inoculations and resulted to higher reproductive and
vegetative growth over the non mycorrhizal plants. P. hybrida showed a
three fold as compared to the two fold increase in reproductive growth.
Mycorrhizal inoculation resulted to increased leaf areas, greater shoot
and root weight, number of flowers and early flowering by atleast 15
days in addition to significant increase in P uptake in shoots of all
the three ornamentals. Thus, mycorrhizal inocualtion at the nursery
level can be effective for producing more number of flowers and also
early flowering under nutrient deficient conditions.