RHIZOSPHERIC EFFECT OF VESICULAR ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL INOCULATION ON BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF RUTA GRAVEOLENS L.: A POTENTIAL MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC HERB

A bio-inoculation experiment was performed on Ruta graveolens L., known as “Garden Rue” seedlings for the biomass production. Seedlings were inoculated with single and in combined mycorrhizal treatments. All inoculated seedlings showed significant biomass production than control seedlings. The phosphorus (P) content was more in seedlings inoculated with consortium of three native VAM fungi followed by Glomus mosseae, Acaulospora laevis and Gigaspora gigantea alone treatments. The control seedlings had the least P content but root P content was more than shoot P content in all treatments. The biomass of shoot and root was also significantly more in seedlings inoculated with consortium followed by G. mosseae, A. laevis and G. gigantea alone treatment. The control seedlings again had low shoot and root biomass. The Biovolume index (B_i) was also high in all inoculated treatments than non-inoculated control but consortium treatment (7.98) had at par B_i than rest of inoculation treatments. The quality index (Q_i) value was also high in mixed consortium (1.42) and A. laevis treatment (1.42) each respectively than G. mosseae (1.38) and G. gigantea (1.29) treatments. Control seedlings had low value of Q_i (1.27). The present study indicates that G. mosseae, A. laevis, G. gigantea are the best strains of VAM symbionts when mixed together for inoculating the R. graveolens to get higher yield of biomass. A. laevis is also good strain of VAM fungi for the same purpose. The G. gigantea alone proved least effective strain for inoculation purpose in R. graveolens but when mixed together in consortium of native VAM fungi as described above executed good results for enhancing the biomass production.