Glomus–Azotobacter symbiosis in apple under reduced inorganic nutrient fertilization for sustainable and economic orcharding enterprise

The inoculation of native AM fungi technology and Azotobacterization approach can improve the establishment of nursery plants in adverse soil conditions by improving growth attributes for long-term, viable and sustainable apple orcharding. This study demonstrated the effect of single and/or dual interaction effects of soil inoculation of AM fungi and Azotobacter strains on vegetative growth at nursery stage under reduced inorganic fertilization on the seedlings. The inocula of two promising and potent isolates of AM fungi viz., Glomus fasciculatum, G. mosseae, and Azotobacter chroococcum strains namely, A. chroococcum strain-I (AZ1) and A. chroococcum strain-II (AZ2) were screened as soil application singly, in dual combination under varied N and P inorganic nutrient fertilization. The significant improvement in the vegetative growth parameters of the saplings namely, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and total root length was more pronounced with treatment application of G. fasciculatum followed G. mosseae with AZ1 and also in combination with 2/3rd N + P for a viable and economic orcharding enterprise.

► Seven AM fungal species and two A. chroococcum strains from apple orchards of Shiwalik hill range of India were isolated.
► Glomus fasciculatum, Gf; G. mosseae, Gmo; G. magnicaulis, Gmag; G. clarum, Gcla; Gigaspora heterogamma, Ghet; Scutellospora pellucid, Spell; Sclerocystis coremioides, Scor;AZ1; AZ2 strains were abundant.
► Glomus–Azotobacter symbiosis for economic orcharding enterprise was studied.
► Application of Gf, AZ1 with 2/3rd N + P fertilizers significantly improved growth attributes.