**5. NPK fertilizers**

*Mycorrhizal Fungi - Utilization in Agriculture and Forestry*

between AM colonization and the spore population.

screening of AM fungi for the selected host plants.

**4. Screening of AM fungal species for efficiency**

*Glomus fasiculatum* and followed by *Gigaspora gigantea.*

treatment with *Glomus fasiculatum*.

the *Glomus* species showed a significant difference in colonization.

**3. AM fungal inoculum development**

**Figure 2** shows the highest root colonization in the rhizosphere of *Albizia lebbeck* of Yellendu, while it was least in Bhopalpally soil. The percentage of root colonization was significantly varied with the type of soil. AM colonization was recorded moderately in the soil of Godavarikhani. No correlation could be observed

AMF resting spores collected by stereo binocular microscope were surface sterilized with 200 ppm streptomycin for 15 min and washed in sterile distilled water for several times. The starter culture was prepared by soil funnel techniques [31]. A glass funnel was filled (3/4th) with autoclaved soil and sand (1:1) and the neck was loosely plugged with cotton wool. The funnel was kept over a conical flask (filled with sterile water). Spores were spread near the neck and covered with a thin layer of soil. Seeds of *Pennisetum glaucum* (surface-sterilized) were evenly sown and watered (sterile). After 10–15 days, the roots can be seen sprouting from the neck. Meanwhile, they get infected by AMF spores at the neck. After 25 days, roots were examined for root colonization. When an adequate amount of growth was obtained by frequent sowing of seeds, this inoculum was transferred into small plastic pots filled with sand and soil (2:1) and mixed uniformly. Pots were transferred to the greenhouse and seeds of *Zea maize* and *Pennisetum glaucum* were sown. Pots were watered now and then with Hoagland nutrient solution without phosphorus and placed under uniform daylight. At the time of flowering of plants, the upper shoot system was cut off and fresh seeds were sown. After 2–3 months, the roots were mixed with soil and employed as inoculum for further experiments. **Figure 1** explains the isolation and

The effect of native AM fungi on the mycorrhizal intensity in terms of root colonization and spore number in rhizospheric soil of *Albizia lebbeck* and *Acacia nilotica* has been presented in **Table 4** respectively. In the comparative studies, all

Biomass of treated plants in the form of fresh weight recorded in *Albizia lebbeck* (*A.l)* and *Acacia nilotica* (*A.n)* is ranging from 90.0 to 142.6 g and 72.8 to 168.1 g, respectively. Likewise, root/shoot dry weight ranging from 62.4 to 116.3 g and 59.1 to 141.9 g, respectively, at the time of growth in the transplanted site. Minimum root/shoot growth was recorded in control plants. In comparison to control, all other treated plants showed the highest root/shoot growth. The maximum root/ shoot growth of *Albizia lebbeck* (142.6 g) was recorded in *Glomus/Rhizophagus aggregatus* treatment. In *Acacia nilotica* (168.1), the highest growth was observed in

In this study, all the five treatments gave the best results when compared with control (non inoculated tree species) *Glomus/Rhizophagus aggregatus* supports *Albizia lebbeck* showed the highest root colonization and helps the plants to uptake the nutrients such as root/shoot Phosphorus content (0.42/0.38 mg/g). In *Acacia nilotica* the highest shoot/root phosphorus content (0.46/0.34 mg/g) showed by

Among all the five monoculture treatments *Glomus/Rhizophagus fasciculatum* and *Rhizophagus aggregatus* gave the best plant growth in all the parameters records plant height, biomass, and Phosphorus content. In this study percentage of AMF root colonization is directly proportional to the biomass and phosphorus content.

**104**

The use of NPK fertilizers to enhance crop plant production include fertilization is specified to the soil and liquid forms of NPK that are sprayed on top of crop plants. In this time, plants are mostly fulfilled by giving solid fertilizers containing macronutrients, especially N inorganic continuously and without pains to restore the nutrients and absorb the essential elements with plants and causing the decrease of soil fertility [32, 33]. The use of extreme fertilizer is a waste of money and disturbs the stability of nutrients in the soil and increases environmental pollution [34, 35]. To improve the crop productivity and quality of outcome is required to be useful by reasonable fertilizer influences as a result that the proportion of nutrient absorption by plants is balanced and use of one type of fertilizer based on site-specific suggested doses [36]. The site-specific nutrient considers the potential of soils to give usual nutrients recovery [37]. To develop the nutrient status in the soil which administers the N-inorganic fertilizers in the required amounts of P, and K fertilizers are essential to increase crop production.

The compound fertilizers are containing the mineral elements, which need for the successful growth and development of plants. Mineral elements are necessary for optimal doses. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium have enormous effects on plant growth and development. The deficiencies results indicate clear effects on the growth and yield of the crop plants. Nitrogen is a chlorophyll element, which promotes green color and vegetative growth of plants [44]. In agricultural systems, the most important crop nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) [37].

Nitrogen fertilizing doses increase the protein levels and crop plant biomass, but the completion of N elements only without P and K will cause plants to simply drop, very sensitive to pest attacks disease, and reduced the quality of crop production [38]. Phosphorus nutrients in the soil absorbed by plants will be supported by P elements specified during fertilization [39]. Nutrient uptake of N, P, and K plants increases with an increasing dosage level of K fertilizer. Potassium is an important component involved in maintaining plant water conditions; it is responsible for regulating stomata opening and closing activities [40]. The multiple inorganic fertilizers added to plants can be either solid form or liquid. The spray of liquid fertilizer to the plants can play a role in improving the properties of the soil and supporting to enhance crop production [41, 42]. The application of liquid inorganic fertilizers is to make it an easy and efficient use of fertilizers by crop plants.
