EFFECT OF MICROBIAL BIOINOCULATION ON THE BIOACTIVE SECONDARY METABOLITES PRODUCTION OF ELAEAGNUS LATIFOLIA L. SEEDLINGS

The role of rhizospheric symbiotic Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, non-AM fungus and bacteria in biochemical metabolites production of E. latifolia L. seedlings was analysed. The seedlings were inoculated with AM fungal strain (Glomus species), non-AM fungus (Trichoderma harzianum, Th-13) and bacteria (Pseudomonas species, Ps-1) in combined form (both, dual and triple/tripartite consortium) and analysed for their effect on the total bioactive chemical metabolites production of the target plant species. Qualitative estimation of the secondary metabolites in the said species was done and the following compounds were present viz. alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, lignin etc. Quantitative estimation of phenolics, flavonoids, anti radical scavenging activity were observed using DPPH assay. The plant carbon and Phosphorus content were also analysed. The maximum phenolic content was obtained in the ethanolic extracts of T3 (173±0.025 mg/g) treated seedlings and the maximum flavonoid content was obtained in the ethanolic extracts of T8 (85.42±0.015 mg/g). Analyses of the free radical scavenging activity revealed that, the highest % inhibition activity was showed by T4 treatment (95.58±0.02) and the least was found in T5 treatment (76.17±0.03). Similar trend with diminutive variation in all studied parameters as cited above was also observed in other alone and combined treatments than control seedlings which are discussed in detail in this paper.