Karnataka J. Agric. Sci.

, 22 (5) (1120-1122) : 2009

Seed germinability, root and shoot length and vigour index of soybean as influenced by rhizosphere
fungi
Soybean (Glycine max L.), a highly nutritive crop, is
grown both under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The roots of
soybean plants growing in soil provide a unique habitat, the
rhizosphere, which is particularly favourable for the development
of soil microorganisms. Intense biological interactions in the
rhizosphere are of common phenomenon among the rhizosphere
mycoflora. Quantitative and qualitative rhizosphere mycoflora
and their biological interactions influence the growth and
development of seedlings. Therefore, the present study was
undertaken to ascertain the influence of soybean rhizosphere
mycoflora on seed germinability, root and shoot length and
thereby seedling vigour of soybean during the year 2007-08.
Rhizosphere mycoflora were isolated from the field
grown soybean cv. GS 1 plants after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of
sowing. Ten healthy and ten diseased plants of soybean
showing wilting symptoms were collected at each stage. Isolation
of rhizosphere mycofloras from the closely adhering rhizosphere
soil of soybean roots was done by soil dilution plate method
using Martin's Rose Bengal Agar (Martin, 1950). Pure cultures
of rhizosphere mycofloras obtained by single spore isolation or
hyphal tip method were used for mass culturing and inoculation
purpose.
The mycelial growth of each of the rhizosphere fungi
under the study grown on PDA in 10 petri plates for 10 days at
250C was harvested separately in 50 ml of sterilized water. Final
volume of inoculum of each fungus was made to 500 ml after
fractioning the fungal mycelial mat in pestle and mortar. Inoculum
suspension so prepared was mixed with sterilized soil @150 ml
per surface sterilized pot of 20 cm diameter. Besides, treatement-
wise additional 15 ml inoculum suspension of respective fungus
was poured in upper 3 cm layer of soil in each pot so as to
provide more effective contact of inoculum with the germinating
seeds immediately after sowing. On fifth day of soil inoculation,
ten surface sterilized soybean seeds of cv. GS 1 treated with
inoculum of respective rhizosphere fungus by dipping into
inoculum suspension for two minutes were sown into pots.
Three pots were maintained for each treatment. Pots without
inoculum served as control treatment. Pots were kept in
glasshouse and watered regularly. Ten days after sowing,
numbers of plants in each pot, root and shoot length and vigour
index were worked out for all the treatments including untreated
check. Seedlings which emerged out of soil level were
considered for computation of germination percentage. Seedling
vigour index in each treatment was calculated as under.

Table 1. Growth parameters of soybean as influenced by rhizosphere fungi after ten days of sowing
Sl. Rhizosphere fungi Germination Increase / Shoot Increase / Root Increase / Vigour Increase /
No. (%) decrease over length decrease over length (mm) decrease over index decrease over
control (%) (mm) control (%) control (%) control (%)
1. Aspergillus flavus 80.0* -14.25 93.0 -8.82 114.3 -3.13 16586.6 -19.10
2. Aspegillus niger 83.3 -10.71 93.3 -8.52 113.6 -3.72 17250.0 -15.86
3. Aspergillus terreus 86.6 -7.81 96.0 -5.88 115.0 -2.54 18300.0 -10.74
4. Cephalosporium sp. 90.0 -3.53 95.6 -6.27 114.3 -3.13 18900.0 -7.81
5. Cladosporium sp. 83.3 -10.71 94.6 -7.25 114.3 -3.13 17413.3 -15.07
6. Fusarium oxysporum 73.3 -21.46 92.0 -9.81 112.0 -5.08 14956.6 -27.05
7. Fusarium solani 76.6 -17.89 92.3 -9.50 112.6 -4.57 15710.0 -23.37
8. Fusarium sp. 83.3 -10.71 95.0 -6.86 113.0 -4.23 17343.3 -15.41
9. Macrophomina phaseolina 76.6 -17.89 92.3 -9.50 112.6 -4.57 15680.0 -23.52
10. Penicillium citrinum 83.3 -10.71 95.0 -6.86 114.3 -3.13 17473.3 -14.77
11. Penicillium herquei 90.0 -3.53 96.3 -5.58 115.0 -2.54 19020.0 -7.23
12. Penicillium nigricans 86.6 -7.81 96.0 -5.11 114.6 -2.88 18286.6 -10.81
13. Penicillium sp. 83.3 -10.71 95.3 -6.56 114.0 -3.39 17460.0 -14.84
14. Pythium aphanidermatum 70.0 -24.97 91.6 -10.91 111.6 -5.42 14260.0 -30.45
15. Pythium sp. 76.6 -17.89 92.6 -9.21 112.6 -4.57 15736.6 -23.24
16. Rhizoctonia sp. 73.3 -21.46 92.3 -9.50 112.0 -5.08 14963.3 -27.02
17. Trichoderma viride 96.6 3.53 105.0 2.94 121.0 2.54 21863.3 6.63
18. Trichothecium sp. 83.3 -10.71 93.6 -8.23 114.0 -3.39 17316.6 -15.54
Control 93.3 0.00 102.0 0.00 118.0 0.00 20503.3 0.00
S.Em. ± 3.253 2.648 2.468 773.294
C.D. at 5% 9.297 NS NS 2210.15
C.V. % 6.80 4.83 3.74 7.71
* Original value
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Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 22(5): 2009
Vigour index = Root length + Shoot length x Seed germination %
Totally, 18 rhizospheric fungi were obtained from
diseased soybean plants. Results further revealed (Table 1) the
lowest percentage of seed germination (70.0) was observed in
pots inoculated with Pythium aphanidermatum and it was at
par with Fusarium oxysporum (73.3 %), Rhizoctonia sp.(73.3%),
Fusarium solani (76.6%), Macrophomina phaseolina (76.6%)
and Pythium sp. (76.6%). Trichoderma viride showed the highest
percentage of seed germination (96.6%).However, it was at par
with control (93.3%), Cephalosporium sp. (90.0%) and
Penicillium herquei (90.0%).These fungi did not affect shoot
and root length significantly. The shoot length was the lowest
in case of P. aphanidermatum (91.6 mm), while it was the highest
in the pots inoculated with T. viride (105.0 mm) followed by
control (102.0 mm). Remaining fungi showed intermediate effects
on shoot length. P. aphanidermatum adversely affected
development of roots thereby caused maximum reduction in
root length. Next adversely affecting fungi were F. oxysporum
(112.0 mm), Rhizoctonia sp. (112.0 mm), Fusarium solani (112.6
mm), M. phaseolina (112.6 mm), Pythium sp. (112.6 mm) and
other fungi. On the contrary, T. viride promoted the root length
as evident from increase in root length (121.0 mm) followed by
control (118.0 mm).
The influence of various fungi in seed germination, shoot
and root length of seedlings could be seen from the vigour
Department of Plant Pathology,
B. A.College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University,
Anand - 388 110, Gujarath, India.
(Received: January, 2009)
References
Jain, V. and Gupta, V. K., 2002, Effect of rhizosphere on nodule number,
shoot and root length of Vigna mungo. Indian Phytopath., 55:
323-324.
Martin, J.P., 1950, Use of acid, rose bengal and streptomycin in the
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Pradeepkumar, Anuja and Kumudkumar, 2000, Bio-control of seed
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index. The highest vigour index was observed in pots inoculated
with T.viride (21863.3) followed by control (20503.3) which was
at par with T.viride , whereas the lowest vigour index was
obtained with soil inoculation of P. aphanidermatum which
was at par with F. oxysporum (14956.6), Rhizoctonia sp.
(14963.3), M. phaseolina (15680.0), F. solani (15710.0) and
Pythium sp. (15736.6). These six fungi caused reduction in plant
vigour index in the range of 23.24 to 30.45 % over control.
Growth inducing effect due to Trichoderma has been
reported by Pradeepkumar et al. (2000) in pigeonpea, wherein
seeds treated with T. viride significantly increased seed
germination, root and shoot length as compared to untreated
control. Windham et al., 1985) reported that T. harzianum and
T. koningii produced a growth regulating factor that increased
the rate of seed germination and weight of shoot and stem.
Reduction in emergence of soybean seedlings due to F.
oxysporum, F. solani, P. aphanidermatum, R. solani and other
such fungi might be due to the secretion of toxic substances
and fungal metabolites in the soil which indirectly adversely
affected the emergence and development of roots and shoots
of soybean. Singh and Thapliya (1999) observed significant
inhibition in germination of soybean seeds by R. solani and M.
phaseolina. Rhizosphere fungi in present study did not affect
root and shoot length significantly. Similarly, Jain and Gupta
(2002) observed non-significant effect of rhizosphere fungi on
root and shoot length of Vigna mungo.
K. M. MAISURIA
S. T. PATEL
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