Effect of Glomus mosseae and plant growth promoting rhizomicroorganisms (PGPR's) on growth, nutrients and content of secondary metabolites in Begonia malabarica Lam.

Abstract

Begonia malabarica Lam. (Begoniaceae) is one of the important medicinal plants whose main secondary metabolites are luteolin, quercetin and β-sitosterol. The leaves are used for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea, blood cancer and skin diseases. A study was undertaken to determine the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Glomus mosseae, and some plant growth promoting rhizomicro-organisms (PGPR's) on the growth, biomass, nutrients, and content of secondary metabolites of B. malabarica plant under green house conditions. Various plant growth parameters (total plant biomass, mycorrhizal parameter, shoot and root phosphorus), mineral content (potassium, iron, zinc, and copper), and secondary metabolites (total phenols, ortho-dihydroxy phenols, tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids) were determined and found to vary with different treatments. Among all the treatments, plants inoculated with 'microbial consortium' consisting of Glomus mosseae + Bacillus coagulans + Trichoderma viride performed better than with other treatments or uninoculated control plants. The results of this experiment clearly indicated that inoculation of B. malabarica with G. mosseae along with PGPR's enhanced its growth, biomass yield, nutrients and secondary metabolites.

Keywords

• Begonia malabarica
• Glomus mosseae
• PGPR's
• Bacillus coagulans
• Trichoderma viride
• secondary metabolites