Effect of Vam Fungi on Growth and Physiological Parameters of Mulberry (Morus Alba L.) Cultivars in South India

Subramanian Kumaresan¹, Sanniyasi Elumalai²* and Mylsamy Prabhakaran²

¹Department of Plant Biotechnology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College (Autonomous), Mylapore. Chennai - 600 004 India.

²PG and Research Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College (Autonomous), Triplicane, Chennai - 600 005 India.

Corresponding Author E-mail:ananandal@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: Mulberry, found in subtropical regions, is a deciduous plant with good nutritional value. Its leaves are thin, glossy and light green in color. The shape of the mulberry leaves could be quite different even on the same tree. Mulberry can balance internal secretions and enhance immunity. Presence of nutritious elements like minerals and vitamins in mulberry helps in controlling various diseases. Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizas (VAM) fungi are the best known for their ability to improve plant growth in low phosphate soils by exploiting large areas and soil and actively transporting the phosphate back to plants. With respect to the properties of the fungi and the valuable property of leaf, made us to select two varieties of mulberry like MR2 and Kanva2. These two cultivars were inoculated with the six different strains of VAM fungi (Glomus microcarpum, Glomus aggregatum, Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus mosseae, Gigaspora margarita, Acaulospora scrobiculata). Various physiological parameters like micro nutrients, macro nutrients and various biochemical parameters were estimated which significantly implied that inoculated plants had greater concentration of the different organic compounds in the leaves when compared to uninoculated plants. Macro nutrient contents of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and the micro nutrients, zinc and copper significantly greater concentrations, except iron in leaves.

KEYWORDS: VAMF; Morus alba L; nutritional parameters; biochemical parameters

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