Effect of potassium solubilizing bacteria and fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth of tomato lycopersicon esculentum Plant

Abstract

Land (soil) remains a limited resource which cannot be expanded. Overtime, farmers have newlinecontinued to cultivate this limited resource thereby depleting and exhausting it of the minerals. newlineThis has resulted in increasing demand for chemical fertilizers for cultivation of crops in newlinedeveloping countries. These chemical fertilizers have in turn continued to degrade the soil in newlineparticular and the general environment subsequently endangering the plant, animal, microbial newlineand human health. newline newlineIt has therefore become expedient to explore better ways and methods to meet the nutritional newline newlineneeds of the crops in ways that reduce or eliminate the adverse effects. Ways that are eco- newlinefriendly and promote sustainable agriculture. Potassium (K) is a major essential macronutrient for plant growth. The concentrations of soluble newlinepotassium in the soil are usually very low and more than 90% of potassium in the soil exists in newlinethe form of insoluble rocks and silicate minerals. Potassium (K), one of the seventeen chemical newlineelements required for plant growth and reproduction, is often referred to as the regulator since newlineit is involved with over 60 different enzyme systems in plants. Besides its potential to resist newlinedrought and disease (Cakmak, 2005; Billore, et al., 2009), potassium enhances starch newlinemanufacture, growth of roots and the regulation of movement of stomata in the cells of plant and newlinethe overall quality of the plant. newlineThis study therefore, aimed at exploring the potential of the interaction of Arbuscular mycorrhiza newlinefungi (AMF) and Potassium solubilizing bacteria (KSB) as growth enhancers in plants in order to newlineimprove yield without chemical inputs which have negative effects on soil. Success in this study will: a. provide renewable source of nutrients b. sustain soil health newlinec. supplement chemical fertilizers d. replace some chemical fertilizers e. increase the yields of newlineplants f. improve texture, structure and water holding capacity of soil g. stimulate plant growth newlineby secreting growth hormones. newline