Potential of Microbes Containing Formulations to Alter Growth and Phytochemicals of Medicinal Aromatic Plant- Foeniculum Vulgare

Sustainable plant production with the integration of eco-friendly agricultural practices, low chemical inputs, minimal deleterious effects on human health and low cost methods, is the need of the moment. In this direction, scientific/industrial community, continuously exploring novel and reliable methods. Plant growth promoting microbes are proving more promising to achieve eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural outcomes. In the present study, individuals of Foeniculum vulgare, a valuable aromatic plant species with potential medicinal value, were inoculated with different plant growth promoting microorganisms: (1) Arbuscular mycorrhizal like fungi (Sebacina vermifera) (2) Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) (3) Azotobacter (Azotobacter chroococcum). Response of individual microorganism species was evaluated with reference to the emergence, plant growth and yield of essential oil along with qualitative effects on essential oil. Comparatively, significant response of Sebacina vermifera, in the stimulation of emergence of seeds, growth of plant and yield enhancement of essential oil was observed. An enhanced synthesis of anethole (major chemical constituent) was also recorded. Moreover, the enhancement in growth of plants was dependent on the extent of colonization percentage. A periodic study of growth parameters indicates plant’s health and vitality influenced by Sebacina vermifera. The enhanced essential oil of seeds along with enhanced synthesis of anethole was in agreement with the assumption that Sebacina vermifera trigger defensive responses and hence improve phytochemical production. A mechanistic insight is also illustrated. In conclusion Sebacina vermifera possesses immense potentials in the pursuit of agro-ecological attributes of medicinal plant cultivation and crop production. It exerts excellent growth effects and enhances phytochemical production in medicinal plants.

PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT OF CORIANDRUM SATIVUM USING PLANT BIOLOGICALS

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate phytopromotional effects of Sebacina vermifera on economically and medicinally important aromatic plant - Coriandrum sativum (coriander). Methods: Phytopromotional effects of Sebacina vermifera were evaluated on coriander, under greenhouse and field conditions. The evaluations were carried out with reference to emergence, growth promotion and quantitative as well as the qualitative composition of essential oil. Beside this the overall effects were comparatively assessed with the effects of (a) Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens) (b) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum) on coriander using same parameters. Results: Mycorrhizal fungus (Sebacina vermifera) was observed with the most significant effect in all aspects viz. emergence, growth promotion and quantitative as well as the qualitative composition of essential oil. Conclusion: Based upon the observations, Sebacina vermifera is highly recommended as a potential biological agent that could be applied for phytopromotional effects and economic cultivation of aromatic plants.

Genome Sequence of the Plant Growth Promoting Fungus Serendipita vermifera subsp. bescii: The First Native Strain from North America

Serendipita vermifera (=Sebacina vermifera) has demonstrated plant growth promoting abilities with little or no host specificity. The full genome sequencing of Serendipita vermifera subsp. bescii, the first North American strain, will provide insight into the mechanisms behind mycorrhizal symbiosis and plant enhancement in a variety of agronomically important crops.

Effect of inoculation with piriformospora indica and sebacina vermifera on growth of selected brassicaceae plants under greenhouse conditions

ABSTRACT The effect of inoculation of two root-colonizing basidiomycete fungi Piriformospora indica and Sebacina vermifera on the host plants from the family Brassicaceae (Brassica oleracea, B. napus, B. nigra, Lepidium sativum, Descurainia sophia and Matthiola incana) was studied in a pot experiment. Both fungi were able to colonize all plant species tested but with different efficiency. Colonized plants reacted with increase of fitness, bigger leaves and more side shoots. Plant heights of five inoculated species were higher than of uninoculated controls. Five species had higher dry weight of shoots and four had higher dry weights of roots. The highest stimulation was stated for B. oleracea and the lowest for L. sativum. It can be connected with the intensity of root colonization, which was greater in B. oleracea. In most cases both fungi influenced growth and dry weight of plants similarly but B. nigra and D. sophia were stimulated more by P. indica and B. napus by S. vermifera.