Response of different sources of arbuscular mycorrhiza on tomato seedlings

Abstract

An experiment on the effect of different sources of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi on tomato seedlings (var. Ratan) were conducted in the seed bed of Soil Science Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur, Bangladesh during rabi 2007-08 and 2008-09. Eight sources of AM fungi viz. Jessore (AM-01), Rahmatpur (AM-02), Joydebpur (AM-03), Ullapara (AM-04), Jamalpur (AM-05), Hathazari (AM-06), Ishurdi (AM-07), Rajshahi (AM-08) from different AEZs of Bangladesh (Jessore, Rahmatpur, Joydebpur, Ullapara, Jamalpur, Hathazari, Ishurdi, Rajshahi) were studied along with a control and mixed sources on tomato seedlings. Soil based AM inoculum at the rate of 2.0 kg m^-2 was used. Biomass yield of tomato (var. Ratan) increased from 11.0% to 57.9% in 2007-08 and 25.1% to 70.4% in 2008-09 by inoculation with different sources of AM over control. The highest biomass yield (360 mg seedling^-1 in 2007-08 and 339 mg seedling^-1 in 2008-09) of tomato (Ratan) was observed with mixed culture which was identical to all AM source in 2007-08 and with Jamalpur source (AM-05) which was identical to all AM source except Ullapara source (AM-04) in 2008-09. Uptake of all the nutrients by tomato seedlings was also improved by inoculation with AM fungi. The AM fungi from all the sources appeared to be effective in enhancing the growth and development of tomato seedlings. The AM fungi might be used to produce tomato seedlings.