LOCAL AMF AND PLANT HEALTH - AN INSTANT EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH

Abstract

Bio-fertilizers are living organisms used as fertilizer which can change the rhizospheric environment and promote growth and development of the host plant without causing any harmful effect. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungal bio-fertilizer is important one because it affects symbiotically in the roots of almost all plants and its rhizosphere surroundings. AM fungal inoculation process is simple as they need no artificial media. It symbiotically penetrates into the host plants’ feeder root cortex and makes a bridge between soil and roots. Various nutrients like N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn etc. are absorbed by AMF from the soil and transfer these to their hosts. AM fungi improve soil structure, suppress plant diseases and improve plant tolerance to water stress, salinity, soil acidity and heavy metal toxicity which is helpful for plant growth. Large scale applications of local AM fungi on selected plant like Curcuma amada (mangoginger) show better yield. Biomass production increases by using rich AM spore containing soils. Hope that isolates from locally available AM fungi would be a boon to restore the ecosystem pristine for development of human health