U S. BAGDE, RAM PRASAD AND AJIT VARMA
Abstract
Potential of symbiotic fungus P. indica cell mass for promoting growth of many medicinal and economically important plants has been documented so far. Also impact of its culture filtrate on plant growth and its essential ingredients has been reported. Present investigation was carried out to characterize culture filtrate of P. indica by HPTLC analysis to ascertain mechanism of its action on plant growth. HPTLC analysis of P. indica culture filtrate revealed that it contains carbohydrates and saponins and in addition it may contain other ingredients of interest. Plant growth promotion effect of culture filtrate may be due to production or addition of known and unknown compounds from culture filtrate. This is confirmed by quantification of microorganisms in rhizospheric soil testing of plants Helianthus annus and Aristolochia elegans treated with culture filtrate of P. indica wherein it showed maximum number of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi as compared to untreated plants. Number of actinomycetes was lower, number of fungi higher and number of bacteria highest in rhizospheric soils of plants treated with P. indica culture filtrate. In the rhizosphere of A. elegans treated plants population of bacteria was 2.1 Ã 104, fungi 2.0 Ã 103 and Actinomycetes 1.2 Ã 103 as compared to 1.5 Ã 104, 2.0 Ã 103 and 1.1Ã 103 respectively in Aristolochia elegans untreated with P. indica culture filtrate. In the rhizosphere of H. annus populations of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were 3.5 Ã 106, 4.0 Ã 103 and 2.5 Ã 104 respectively as compared to 2.0 Ã 103, 2.5 Ã 103 and 1.5 Ã 103 respectively in H. annus untreated with P. indica.