Selected microbial consortia promotes Dalbergia sissoo growth in the large-scale nursery and wastelands in a semi-arid region in India

ABSTRACT

The performance of a selected microbial consortia (Rhizophagus fasciculatus, Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus coagulans and Trichoderma harzianum) on Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. was investigated through large-scale nursery trials at three locations in the Mandya district of Karnataka state, India. At each nursery, 500 microbial consortia inoculated seedlings and 500 uninoculated seedlings were raised. The mean plant biovolume index and dry biomass of inoculated seedlings raised in three large-scale nursery trials were 42% and 39% higher, respectively, compared to uninoculated seedlings 180 days after sowing. Forty randomly selected inoculated and 40 uninoculated seedlings from each nursery were planted in wasteland at three locations, and their growth was monitored for nearly 6 years. The mean biovolume index of inoculated trees planted in the three wastelands was 136% higher compared to uninoculated trees 73 months after planting. Thus, the study shows inoculation with the selected microbial consortia that improves the growth of Dalbergia sissoo in the nursery and also when planted in degraded wasteland.

KEYWORDS:

• Afforestation
• AMF
• PGPR
• Indian rosewood
• wasteland

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for financial assistance in carrying out this work and Karnataka State Department of Forest officials for their help in carrying out these experiments. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Srinivasan, M. and Mr. Mohan, V. for their help in this work.

Disclosure statement

All the authors of the manuscript declare that they do not have any conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India under Grant number SP/RD/001/2007