Isolation, screening and selection of efficient native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for suppression of Striga in sugarcane Chimmalagi Shubha1, Nirmalnath P. Jones*,1, Sagarkar Madhura A.1, Jagadeesh K.S.1, Babu Ramesh1 1AICRP on Weed Management, MARS, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, 580 005 *Email: jones.nirmalnath@gmail.com
Abstract The control of Striga is difficult to achieve because of its high fecundity and asynchronous seed germination. Thus, an attempt was made to control Striga in its subterranean stage of development using native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spp. In this investigation, 16 AMF spp. were isolated, grouped and mass multiplied according to their morphological differences from the Striga suppressive soil of sugarcane growing area. Further, these 16 native AMF isolates (coded as UASDAMF), native AMF consortium (including 16 native AMF spp.), standard AMF consortium and uninoculated control-UIC (without AMF spp.) were tested against Striga under pot experiment. Significant inhibition of Striga emergence was observed with standard AMF consortium, native AMF consortium, UASDAMF-2, UASDAMF-5, UASDAMF-9 and UASDAMF-12. While, the UIC recorded highest number of Striga infestation. Chlorophyll content in sugarcane leaves (43.36 and 42.72 at 90 and 120 DAP respectively) were recorded highest with native AMF consortium. The physiological parameters such as photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductivity of sugarcane also recorded highest (18.16 and 0.55 pmol/m2/sec respectively) with native AMF consortium. The results indicated that the native AMF can efficiently compensate the negative effect of Striga infestation on sugarcane plants. An overall improvement in the biochemical and physiological attributes of the Striga-susceptible sugarcane variety CO86032 upon AMF colonization, clearly suggests the biocontrol and growth promotional potential of AMF consortium. Top Keywords Native AMF consortium, Striga asiatica, Sugarcane, Weed control. Top |