INFLUENCE OF BIO-INOCULANTS ON NURSERY ESTABLISHMENT OF STRAWBERRY 'SUJATHA'

The effect of bio-inoculants on growth of strawberry ‘Sujatha’ was studied under nursery conditions at the Division of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. The bio-inoculants viz., Mycoplex, Trichoderma and Humic acid were tried in different concentrations along with an untreated control by incorporating in the pot mixture. The plants in Mycoplex 3 kg/cft of basal media took a lower number of days (6) for runners establishment, showed an increase in percentage of runners establishment (88.88) and a lower mortality rate (3.71%), when compared to the un-inoculated plants. The maximum plant height (12 cm), number of leaves per plant (10.93), fresh weight (16.20 g/plant), dry weight (2.69 g/plant), leaf area (307.60 cm²/plant) and leaf chlorophyll content (1.44 mg/g) were recorded in Trichoderma 2 g/cft of basal media treated plants. Significantly highest root length (19.33 cm/plant), number of roots per plant (15.20) and phosphorus concentration (0.48) in plant were observed in Mycoplex 12 kg/cft of basal media treatment. However, the maximum nitrogen (2.80) and potassium (7.83) concentration in plant was recorded in Mycoplex at 6 kg/cft of basal media treatment.