Growth response of Viola odorata L. induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Pseudomonas fluorescens

This investigation was carried out in a poly-house, Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India, to verify the efficacy of dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae and Acaulospora laevis) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) as bio-fertilizers either independently or in combination on uptake of nutrient, vegetative growth as well as flower yield of Viola odorata L. grown in earthen pot. Our findings suggest that all co-inoculation treatments showed beneficial effects on all the growth, nutrient uptake, phosphatase activity and flower yield of V. odorata. The results of present investigation also demonstrate that co-inoculation of biofertilizers like Pseudomonas fluorescens with AM fungi, significantly promotes higher root colonization and spore density enhancing the phosphorus (P) uptake and improving the content of photosynthetic pigments.