Arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation and super phosphate application influence plant growth and yield of Capsicum annuum

The effect of two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [G. mosseae (G) and A. laevis (A)] with P. fluorescence (Pf) in the presence of super phosphate (P) fertilization on growth and yield of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum var. California Wonder) was evaluated in pots under greenhouse conditions, in a completely randomized design with four levels of phosphorus fertilizer [F0-without P, F1-0.200g pot(-1) (half of the recommended dose), F3-0.400g pot(-1) (recommended dose) and F4-0.800g pot(-1) (double the recommended dose)] having six different combinations of bioinoculants. Inoculation of bioinoclulants with F1 increased plant growth and nutrition to an acceptable level with AM fungi in combination with P. fluorescens. Application of higher dose of P fertilizer markedly decreased all the growth parameters. The prevalence of AM colonization was highest in G+A+Pf with F1. Similarly highest yield was recorded for the treatment involving multi inoculation of G+A+Pf in the treatment of F1 followed by dual inoculation of G+Pf in F0 plants. Thus this finding suggests the application of efficient bioinoculants (G+A+Pf) along with right dose of P fertilizer (half of the recommended P) during seedling transplantation to increase overall growth and yield performance of bell pepper and could be considered as a sustainable substitute to higher phosphorus fertilizer for bell pepper cultivation.