Influence of endophytic microbes on micro-propagated banana plantlets

An experiment was conducted to investigate the physiological response of micro-propagated banana plantlets with different endophytic microbes at Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University during 2024. In vitro banana plantlets cv. ‘Grand Naine’ were transferred into rooting media and treated with six different endophytic microbes (Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma asperellum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, Azospirillum, Azotobacter) on first week of May, 2024 following Randomized Block Design (RBD) with six replications. The physiological attributes of growth viz., plant growth rate (3.78%), shoot height (15.27 cm), total number of leaves (8.00), leaf area duration (105.63 days), leaf area index (6.64), total number of roots (23.67) and net assimilation rate (2.11 g cm^-2 wk^-1) were notably augmented by Bacillus subtilis at 60- days after transplanting (DAT). However, significant response in context of leaf production rate (0.09 leaf day^-1), leaf area index (6.43) and leaf area ratio (218.69 cm² g^-1) were found in Pseudomonas fluorescens. Weak root system along with less number of roots (11.67 to 12.00) were observed both in control and Azotobacter treated plantlets. Maximum specific leaf area (327.06 cm² g^-1) and plant vigour index (7.22) were observed with Trichoderma asperellum treatment.