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YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY (WUE) OF CENCHRUS CILIARIS AS INFLUENCED BY VESICULAR ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAE (VAM)

I.A. KHAN1*, N. AYUB², S.N. MIRZA¹, S.M. NIZAMI¹ AND M. AZAM³

Abstract: The influence of VAM on yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of Cenchrus ciliaris was studied at two water regimes (100% field capacity and 50% field capacity). The shoot dry weight and root dry weight significantly increased at 100% field capacity as compared to 50% field capacity. There was a proportionate increase in shoot and root weight of the plant at dual mycorrhizal inoculation. The water use efficiency significantly increased by the inoculation with mycorrhizae under both the water regimes. Water use efficiency increased with the dual inoculation but maximum water use efficiency with Glomus etunicatum + Glomus intraradices was 915 g at 100% field capacity and 633 g at 50% field capacity. The maximum shoot and root dry weight also increased to 11.43, 9.21 g for shoot and 5.71, 4.61 g for root at 100 and 50% field capacity, respectively.

¹Department of Forestry & Range Management, University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi

²Department of Microbiology, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad

³Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

*Corresponding author: Telephone# 051-9062269