EXPLORING FUNGAL-BACTERIAL INTERACTIONS FOR CONSORTIA BUILDING TO FACILITATE ENHANCED MONOCROTOPHOS REMEDIATION AND PLANT GROWTH PROMOTIONArchana Kumari and Krishna Sundari SattirajuAbstract Role of pesticides for enhancing crop production through pest control is a widely practiced agricultural management strategy, and given the demands of sustained agricultural productivity it is imperative that the use of pesticide be continued. Nevertheless, risks of pesticide surplus at every trophic level cannot be ignored. Monocrotophos (MCP) is a common organophosphate insecticide used in various Asian nations, including India. This study investigates the applicability of consortia based on fungal-bacterial interaction (C-FBI) to facilitate enhanced MCP remediation and plant growth promotion. An interaction-based consortia matrix was designed to test compatibility between the selected members of the bacteria (RB1, RB2, RB3, and RB4) and fungus (T103), and it revealed the highest levels of compatibility in consortia C-FBI1and CFBI4, while members of consortia C-FBI3 showed complete antagonism. Timed and successive inoculation of fungus and bacterial cultures were done to degrade MCP. According to HPLC analysis, the highest performing C-FBI for MCP degradation were C-FBI1(70%) and C-FBI4 (68%) at 5 Days. C-FBI administration led to better root and shoot growth as compared to a single fungal isolate. C-FBI1and C-FBI4 were the two C-FBIs with the strongest plant growth promotion outcomes. When plants were treated with C-FBIs, their biomass increased by 42% relative to untreated plants in the case of C-FBI1 treatments and 74% in the case of C-FBI4 treatments. Plants treated with C-FBIs showed robust shoot system and a well-developed root system architecture. C-FBI4 had the highest level of chlorophyll (2.41mg/gfr.wt.) and carotenoids (0.36mg/gfr.wt.). The outcomes of this study represent a step towards the utilization of C-FBIs for MCP bioremediation and plant growth enhancement. |