INFLUENCE OF AM FUNGI ON BIOMASS AND ROOT GROWTH IN CUSTARD APPLE (ANNONA SQUAMOSA L.) SEEDLINGS

The influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on the biomass and root growth of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) seedlings was investigated in a study conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 at the College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem, Andhra Pradesh.The experiment utilized a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments: T1 (G.fasciculatum @ 3g), T2 (G.leptotichum @ 3g), T3 (G.fasciculatum @ 1.5g + G. leptotichum @ 1.5g), and T4 (non-mycorrhizal control), each replicated five times.Results indicated significant increases in root length, number of roots, fresh and dry weights of both shoots and roots in mycorrhizal treatments compared to the control.Treatment T3 exhibited the highest growth parameters across all metrics, suggesting synergistic effects of the two AM fungi species.The enhanced growth observed is attributed to improved nutrient uptake, particularly phosphorus, and increased water retention facilitated by AM fungi.These findings support the potential of AM fungi in promoting the growth of custard apple seedlings, which could benefit cultivation practices in arid and semi-arid regions.