Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

STUDIES ON EFFECT OF VAM, PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING BACTERIA AND AZOTOBACTER ON BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF STEVIA REBAUDIANA (BERT.) -AN EMERGING NUTRACEUTICAL PLANT

G. RAMAKRISHNAIAH, T. VIJAYA AND K. CHANDRA MOULI

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM), phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and azotobacter (Azo) either as single or mixed inoculants on biochemical aspects of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.). The study revealed that the combined application of microbial inoculants increased the contents of total chlorophyll, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, shoot and root protein. The steviol glycoside which is the active principle of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) was found synthesized maximum in triple inoculated plants (VAM+PSB+Azo) than dual inoculated and control plants.