EFFECT OF PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER AND AM FUNGI ON TWO VARIETIES OF FINGER MILLET (Eleusine coracana Gaertn.)

Abstract

Green house pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of AM fungi with recommended dose of super phosphate (P₂O₅) on two varieties of finger millet (TNAU 914 and GPU 45). The recommended dose of superphosphate was given 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% was applied to both varieties of finger millet along with AM fungi. Growth parameters such as plant height, dry weight of shoot and root, per cent root colonization, spore number, macro and micro nutrients were determined. Variety TNAU 914 showed an increase in all growth parameters when recommended dose of 50% was applied, there was also an increase in macro and micro nutrients. However, variety GPU 45 showed increase in growth parameters when recommended dose of 25% was applied. The variation in uptake of nutrients and  per cent of root colonization in different recommend dose of super phosphate with AM fungi has been discussed.