Microbial consortia developed for Ocimum tenuiflorum reduces application of chemical fertilizers by 50% under field conditions

An earlier study conducted under glass house conditions revealed a strong synergistic relationship between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF-Glomus monosporum) and the plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR-Pantoea dispersa) screened and selected for inoculating Ocimum tenuiflorum. The present study was undertaken to validate the results of glass house studies under field conditions. The field experiment was conducted with selected microbial consortia with varying levels of chemical fertilizers in order to find out the possibility of reducing the recommended level of chemical fertilizers for O. tenuiflorum cultivation. The results obtained from the field experiment suggested that inoculation with microbial consortia increased plant growth, dry weight, essential oil concentration compared to uninoculated plants. The results also brought out that 50% of recommended NPK fertilizer can be reduced through inoculation with microbial consortia with no adverse effect on growth and yield of O. tenuiflorum.