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Effect of Native Bioinoculants on Vegetable Crops Grown on Alkaline Soil Under Field Conditions

ABSTRACT Due to expansive and environment-polluting chemical amendments for reclaiming alkaline salt-affected wastelands that have large share worldwide, it is important to use biological means like native bioinoculants to counteract the alkalinity and increase crop productivity on a sustainable basis. Field experiments were conducted to culture native Arbuscular Mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) on an alkaline soil and to study the efficacy of the native and exotic strains of AMF and Azotobacter in four vegetable crops [Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage), Allium cepa (onion), Solanum melongena (eggplant) and Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower)] separately, as well as in combination. The Ricinus communis (castor) was found to be a suitable host for AM culturing on normal soil and Trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek) on alkaline soil, however, alkalinity affected germination and survival % of R. communis and Zea mays plants significantly. The combined inoculation of native AM fungi and Azotobacter in B. oleracea var. capitata and B. oleracea var. botrytis resulted in maximum fruit yield and plant growth, which was probably through better uptake of nutrients as a result of secretion of phospho-enzyme and other growth-promoting substances and by inhibiting adverse effect of the root exudates of Brassica sp. In the case of Allium cepa, Azotobacter (native strain) and in Solanum melongena, native AM fungi produced results at par with AMF+ Azotobacter. Overall, the native strains of bioinoculants isolated from native (local) alkaline soils were found to be more adaptive and tolerant to alkalinity than exotic ones.