Effect of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza on growth, leaf yield and phosphorus uptake in mulberry (Morus alba) under irrigated, alluvial soil conditions

A field experiment was undertaken to study the effect of vesicular arbuscul ar mycorrhizal association in mulberry saplings 'S 1' with reduced levels o f phosphate on growth characters, leaf yield and phosphorus uptake during 1 994-97 under irrigated, alluvial soil conditions of Gangetic plain with 7.4 pH. Pooled data analysis of 8 seasons revealed that all the 3 strains of G lomus at reduced phosphate doses showed promising result in respect to plan t growth characters and leaf yield of which Glomus mosseae at the lowest ph osphate dose (30 kg/ha/year) registered maximum plant height (135.1 cm), nu mber of branches/plant (7.7), number of leaves/plant (191.7) and leaf yield (23 526.0 kg/ha/year) and was found to be at par(132.8 cm, 7.0, 177.0 and 22023.0 kg/ha/year respectively) with control (180 kg phosphate/ha/year) an d other treatments. With regard to leaf quality G. mosseae with 30 kg phosp hate/ha/year influenced maximum leaf moisture content (74.61%) and phosphor us uptake in leaves (3.91 mg/g dry leaf) except leaf area and were found to be similar with control and other treatments. The association of G. mossea e in roots of mulberry 'S 1' mulberry can reduce the requirement of 80% pho sphate fertilizer (30 kg/ha/year) over recommended dose (180 kg/ha/year) fo r irrigated garden without any detrimental effects and enabled to save Rs 2 125/ha/year.