Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
(eISSN: 2229-4473)
Effects of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Azospirillum on growth, yield and root symbiosis in brinjal
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Soumyamol Nizarudeen, Sheeba Muhammed Jameelabeevi, Britto Anusha S., Sivu A. R.
Research Articles | Published: 22 July, 2026
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Keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhiza, n Azospirillumn , Brinjal, Plant microbe interactions, Root colonization, Yield
Abstract
This study evaluated the individual effects of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMF) and Azospirillum on growth, yield, and root symbiosis in three brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) varieties—Haritha, Bhavani Gold, and Purple Round—under field conditions (2023–2024). VAMF root colonization differed significantly among varieties and increased progressively with plant age, with Haritha consistently exhibiting the highest colonization levels. Both VAMF and Azospirillum inoculation significantly improved vegetative growth, yield components, and seed quality compared with the uninoculated control. In general, VAMF resulted in greater improvements in leaf area, internode length, fruit number, fruit weight, and root colonization than Azospirillum. Among the varieties, Haritha recorded the highest biomass, fruit yield, and seed germination, whereas Bhavani Gold produced the greatest seed yield. The progressive increase in VAMF colonization from 60 to 120 days indicates successful establishment of the mycorrhizal association during crop development. These findings demonstrate that VAMF and Azospirillum, when applied separately, can improve growth and productivity in brinjal, with responses varying among genotypes.
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Author Information
P.G & Research Department of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi College (Affiliated to University of Kerala), Thiruvananthapuram, India