TITLE:
Effect of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth, nutrient uptake and curcumin production of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)
AUTHORS:
Kenji Yamawaki, Atsushi Matsumura, Rintaro Hattori, Arata Tarui, Mohammad Amzad Hossain, Yoshiyuki Ohashi, Hiroyuki Daimon
KEYWORDS:
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi; Curcumin; Rhizome; Turmeric
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.4 No.2,
February
26,
2013
ABSTRACT: Profitable turmeric (Curcuma
longa L.) production requires adequate nutrients. We have investigated
the effect of inoculation with arbus cular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on growth, nutrient uptake, yield and curcumin production of turmeric under field and
glasshouse conditions. Although
AMF inoculation slightly increased plant height, leaf
number and shoot N content, no statistical differences were observed in vegetative
growth parameters, biomass production, nutrient uptake and curcumin content
compared to control plants under field conditions. It was difficult to
determine the exact effect of inoculated AMF on turmeric growth because of indigenous AMF. On the other hand, turmeric showed better response to AMF inoculation under
greenhouse conditions. AMF inoculation resulted in higher biomass production
and nutrient uptake of turmeric. Moreover the concen tration of curcumin,
contained in the rhizome of turmeric, increased in AMF treatment. These results
indicate that AMF inoculation has beneficial effects on turmeric growth and
curcumin production. AMF inoculation to turmeric field would be effective when
indigenous soil populations of AMF are low or native AMF are no longer
effective.