Biohardening with Piriformospora indica improves survival rate, growth, iron uptake and cane yield of micropropagated sugarcane

Inoculation of symbiotic endophytic fungus, Piriformospora indica to micropropagated sugarcane plantlets improved their survival rate up to 12% upon their transfer to soil. Extent of colonization of inoculated sugarcane roots was 91.8% in sugarcane cv. CoJ 83 and 92.5% in cv. CoJ 88 after four weeks of growth in a greenhouse. Cane yield and yield components (tillering, cane height) in biohardened field - grown plants of cv. CoJ 88 were significantly higher than both uninoculated micropropagated and uninoculated conventionally propagated sugarcane. Similar observations were made in the ratoon crop. Iron deficiency was observed in the majority of uninoculated ratoon crop plants, but this was not the case with the inoculated plants where the uptake of both Fe and Cu were promoted. Thus, P indica was effective growth promoting agent for micropropagated sugarcane plantlets that not only helped to improve iron uptake but also increased yields of both the plant and ratoon crops.