*IARI Regional Station [CHC], Amartara Cottage, Shimla-171 004
PG College, Mandi-175001
National Symposium on Strategic Issues in Plant Pathological Research held at Department of Plant Pathology, CSK HP Krishi Vishvavidayalaya, Palampur on November 24–25, 2011
Effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on growth rate of apple seedlings was studied in glass house conditions. The experiment was carried out in two soil types viz. collected from orchard floor and from uprooted apple tree basin. The stratified apple seeds were inoculated and 20 day old seedlings transplanted in pots. Observations on growth parameters were recorded at different ages of seedling up to 12 months. The result revealed higher growth rate w.r.t. shoot height, dry weight, and collar diameter along with root volume in inoculated seedlings in both the soil types. Addition of organic matter along with mycorrhiza inoculum has shown further increase in growth rate of all the parameters. Seedling growth rate was much higher in basin soils than in natural soils. The growth data also revealed that natural soils without sterilization exhibited higher growth rate than sterilized soil because of presence of native endophytes in natural soil.
