EFFECT OF BIOFERTILIZERS ON GROWTH, YIELD AND ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENT IN PATCHOULI (Pogostemon patchouli Pellet.)

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of bio-fertilizers on growth, yield and essential oil content in Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Pellet.) at the Medicinal and Aromatic Crops Section, Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore during 1999-2000. The cultivar 'Johore' was used for the experiment. The fifteen treatments included three levels each of nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P 2 O 5 ) [520, 75 and 100% of recommended dose] with Potash (K 2 O) at constant level of 50 kg/ha along with different biofertilizers (Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Phosphorus Solubilising Bacteria (PSB) and Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (VAM) in combination. The results revealed that the treatments differed significantly; among the treatments, 75% NP + 100 K + Azotobacter + Azospirillum + VAM recorded significantly superior values for plant height (80.14 cm), number of leaves (357.75), number of branches (22.04), plant spread (76.12 cm), leaf area (4075.66 cm 2 ), yield of fresh herbage [10.733 t/ha against 7.277 t/ha in control] and essential oil yield [71.74 l/ha as compared 47.5 l/ha in control] which was followed by 50% NP + 100 K + Azotobacter + PSB + VAM and 50% P + NK + PSB + VAM. On the whole, the treatment with 75% NP + 100 K + Azotobacter + Azospirillum + VAM emerged as one of the best treatments and effected the saving of fertilizers to the extent of 25 per cent.