plant surface microbiology.pdf

15 Interaction of Piriformospora indica with Diverse Microorganisms and Plants 249
plants, however, these kidney-shaped inflorescences were never observed in
control plants. The length of the inflorescence and the number of flowers on
inoculated S. calva plants also increased compared to the controls. Similarly,
the number of flowers of the inoculated W. somnifera was higher than in the
controls.For both inoculated medicinal plant species,the number of seeds was
higher than for the controls (Rai et al.2001),and the overall root biomass of the
inoculated plants was higher than that of the corresponding controls.The fresh
and dry weights of both underground and aboveground parts of S.calva and W.
somnifera-inoculated plants were higher than in the controls.
4.5 Economically Important Plants
Plants of economic importance tested in vivo and in vitro were Tagetes erecta
L. (marigold), Nicotiana tabaccum L. (tobacco), Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.
(tomato) and Solanum melongena L. (bringal). In a pot trial marigold inoculated
with P. indica showed healthier plants with early bud formation and
enlarged flowers compared to the control (Fig. 10).
Hypocotyl of germinated seeds of tobacco were taken as an explant for callus
development. Callusing regeneration of the shoot was established on MS
medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962). Biological hardening of the regenerated
plantlets with P. indica recorded the maximum capacity for regaining the
tensile strength of the stem (Fig. 11). Plants treated with G. mosseae possessed
less tensile strength, but more than the control plantlets.
Early root induction was recorded in the bringal root organ culture interacting
with P. indica (Tables 2, 3). This study indicated that P. indica is a potent
Fig. 10. Interaction with Tagetes erecta.
The experiment was conducted as
described in Fig. 6. P. indica-inoculated
plants (P) were extensive in growth and
had bigger flowers compared to the
control (C)