Role of Indigenous Mycorrhizal Species in Enhancing Physiological and Biochemical Status, Nutrient Acquisition and Yield Pattern of Groundnut (<italic>Arachis Hypogaea</italic> L.).

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an important and increasingly well-recognized role in agro ecosystems. Beneficial soil microorganisms like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and soil health are key factors for producing safe plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic association with roots of plants and facilitate plant growth through enhancing uptake of several macro- and micro-nutrients of low mobility in soil, like phosphorus, zinc, copper, etc. In the present study, we investigated the effect of 10 different isolated mycorrhizal species viz. <italic>Glomus mosseae, Glomus clarum, Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus intraradices, Glomus ambisporum, Gigaspora gigantea, Acaulospora denticulata, Glomus globiferum, Gigaspora albida</italic>, and <italic>Glomus pansiholus</italic> on growth, yield, and essential nutrient content of groundnut (<italic>Arachis hypogeae</italic> L.). Plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi showed significant increments in growth, yield, and nutrient uptake as compared to control (uninoculated) plants. Amongst all, plants inoculated with <italic>Glomus mosseae</italic> were more efficient in increasing growth parameters, enzymatic activities of nitrate reductase, and alkaline phosphatase as well as total yield as compared to other mycorrhizal inoculated plants. Overall, the study showed an additive effect of all mycorrhizal species on plant physiology. Thus, this study provides an important insight that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are most suitable for sustainable agriculture which will improve and help in increasing the growth as well as yield of groundnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]