GROWTH PROMOTING IMPACT OF DUAL FUNGAL INOCULATIONS ON Piper longum, A BIOACTIVE & RET MEDICINAL PLANT OF ODISHA, INDIA

A pot experiment using submerged culture of native phosphate solubilising microflora of Piper longum with completely randomized design with 12 treatments and 20 replications along with control was carried out. The experiments were conducted on Piper longum seedlings grown by vegetative propagation method in two different seasons along with control and different fungal inoculation either individual and /or dual sets. The morphological parameters recorded on plant height, root length, biomass, leaf no., area as well as physiological growth parameters like relative growth rate, leaf area ratio, net assimilation rate, quality index and chlorophyll content of the plants of 160 days of growth. All data subjected to analysis of variance as one factor at a time in different experimental sets. Data recorded on growth performance of plants revealed better effect on enhancement of growth of plants in rainy and winter season as compared to control. The plants developed good growth under inoculated condition in rainy season and growth promotion effect of fungi exhibited the higher shoot height, leaf no and fruit no. whereas winter season promoted more leaf area of the plants. Overall, piperine content of the fruits was more or less similar in both the season. However, winter season supported richer physiological state of plant in terms of total carbohydrate, reducing and nonreducing sugar. However, physiological parameters of fungi inoculated plants during rainy season exhibited higher variation than the winter season. Overall potential for growth promotion and development of Piper longum is clearly visible due to inoculation of P. admetzi in both seasons. This fungus also performs better in dual inoculation with F. moniliforme, A. acculeatus and Paecilomyces lilacinus. A. niger also performed good in combination with F. moniliforme and Paecilomyces lilacinus. Though A. acculeatus supports good for plant promotion during winter season individually, plants of rainy season under inoculated conditions performed better for the implementation as conservation and production strategies is concerned. However, inoculation of P. admetzi during winter season gives more leaf area useful for more appropriate strategies for commercial promotion of Piper longum for vegetative propagation and commercialization in large scale.