Piriformospora Indica - An Unique Plant Growth Promoting Fungus

Abstract

<i>Piriformospora indica </i>is a novel plant growth promoting root endophyte. It is an unique fungus which helps the plant in obtaining the nutrients for their growth in addition to the normal availability. This fungi can grow easily in artificial media and behaves like a mycorrhiza. Since the fungus can grow well in artificial media it can be multiplied easily and as such can assist the plant growth promotion. It colonizes the roots of many important crops like Maize <i>(Zea mays </i>L.), Tobacco <i>(Nicotiana tabacum </i>L.), Paddy <i>(Oryza sativa </i>L.), Sorghum <i>(Sorghum vulgare </i>L.), Wheat <i>(Triticum aestivum </i>L.), Soybean <i>(Glycine max </i>L. Merr.), Gram <i>(Cicer arietinum </i>L.), Artimissia <i>(Artemissia annua </i>L.), Brahmi <i>(Bacopa moniera </i>L. Wett.). The fungus helps in phosphate sublization and also in mobilization of nutrients. It has been mass multiply in by furmantion technique and so also on solid media. The fungus change the future of agriculture and can be a best source of biofertilizer.