Response of three vegetable crops to VAM fungal inoculation in nutrient deficient soils amended with organic matter

A mixed culture of indigenous endomycorrhizal fungi was multiplied in a nursery and tested for its ability to promote growth and yield of three agricultural crops. Onion, potato and garlic were successfully inoculated with VAM fungi in nutrient deficient soil amended with composted leaves of Albizzia lebek (albizzia), Populus deltoides (poplar) and Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena). Colonization in onion reached approx. 85% of root length, followed by garlic and potato (65%). Inoculation response in terms of yield increase was maximum in onion (70%) whereas garlic and potato showed 30% and 48% increases respectively. Also, growth response to VAM fungus inoculation at the high level of organic amendment as well as production of infectious VAM population was demonstrated.