EVALUATION OF BIO-FERTILISER (BIO-INOCULANT) CONSORTIA AND THEIR EFFECT ON PLANT GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF SANDALWOOD (SANTALUM ALBUM) SEEDLINGS.

An attempt was made to evaluate the efficacy of bio-inoculant in single form and as consortium (two or more) involving various treatments (T1 to T12) for the growth performance of Santalum album seedlings. Analysis of growth parameters (at 90th and 180th day) included shoot length (20.4 cm and 52.50 cm), collar diameter (2.88 mm and 4.27 mm), root length (11.76 cm and 26.00 cm), shoot dry weight (8.90 g and 15.18 g), root dry weight (8.10 g and 15.21 g) and total dry weight (16.99 g and 30.39 g). The parameters revealed growth augmentation (shoot length, collar diameter, root length) at 180th day in T12 plants with bio-fertiliser consortia compared to control (T1) (19.80 cm, 3.42 mm, 8.31 cm) and single bio-inoculants (T2) (21.80 cm, 2.83 mm, 11.92 cm). Growth indices, viz., root shoot ratio (0.91 and 1.01), volume index (266.04 and 1462.82) and Dickson's quality index (2.08 and 2.28) at 90th and 180th day, with treatment (T12) involving arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) + Azospirillum + Azotobacter + phosphobacteria + potash mobiliser, performed better than control and single bio-inoculant. This study highlights that the efficacy of two or more bio-inoculant in the form of consortium enhances the growth of Santalum album plants in nursery conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]