EFFECT OF PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING MICROORGANISMS (PSM) ON GROWTH OF MENTHA SPICATA L.R.R. Birje and V. V. GolatkarAbstract The use of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) as live microbial biofertilizers provides a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers. In the present study the effect of various doses of PSM culture on growth of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) plants were observed.A series of experiments were conducted in pot cultures in randomised block design (RBD). A commercial consortium of Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas putida and Aspergillus awamori was used as the PSM culture. The various growth parameters such as Fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll content, Nitrogen content, Phosphate Phosphorous content and potassium content of spearmint were tested after 60, 90 and 120 DAS. The results were encouraging and demonstrated significantly positive effect of increasing doses of PSM culture on various growth parameters of spearmint plants throughout the experiment. Amongst the various treatments, the treatment T3(0.03g PSM culture per Kg sterilized soil) proved to be better for harvest at 90 DAS than the remaining treatments. |