Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMPACT OF BIO-FERTILIZERS ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF BLUE PINE (PINUS WALLICHIANA) SEEDLINGS UNDER NURSERY CONDITIONS

Malik Asif, Shazia Lone, Zahoor A. Baba, Naseer A.Mir and Hilal Bhat

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of bio-fertilizers on nutrient uptake of blue pine seedlings under nursery conditions. The experiment was tested under Completely Randomised Design with three replications which comprised of two nitrogen fixing bio-fertilizers viz; Azotobacter sp, Azospirillum sp, two phosphorus solubilizing bacteria’s viz; Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtillis and two ecto-mycorrhizal fungi viz; Pisolithus tinctorius, Laccaria laccata and control. The research findings show that the various biofertilizers enhanced the plant nutrient status viz; N, P, K, Ca and Mg significantly than control. Further, the two ectomycorrhizae viz; Pisolithus tinctorius and Laccaria laccata used in the studies proved superior over rest of the inoculants and control. It was followed by Azotobacter sp, Azospirillum sp, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtillis respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded from the study that the application of biofertilizers at nursery stage improve the nutrient uptake and growth of blue pine plants.