Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.

Sci (2020) 9(12): 1135-1143

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 12 (2020)
Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.912.137

Effect of Different Concentration of Arka Microbial Consortium on the

Growth Yield and Quality of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cv. Grand rapid under
Poly House in Prayagraj Agro Climatic Condition

N. C. Aswathi*, V. M. Prasad and Gadha Sreekumar

Department of Horticulture, Naini Agriculture Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of

Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007 (UP), India

*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted in Research Field, Department of Horticulture, Naini

Agriculture Institute, SHUATS, Prayagraj; during 2019-2020 to study the effect of
different concentration of Arka microbial consortium (AMC) on growth, yield and quality
of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cv. Grand rapid under poly house in Prayagraj agro-climatic
condition. Arka microbial consortium with different concentrations was tried. The
experiment was laid out in randomized block design having 11 treatments replicated
Keywords thrice. The result showed that 10g Arka microbial consortium + 75% recommended dose
of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium gave the minimum days to germination
Arka Microbial
(4.07) followed by (4.43) 8g Arka microbial consortium + 75% recommended dose of
Consortium,
Growth, Quality, nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium. Maximum days to germination (6.38) were
Lettuce, Vitamin C recorded in control treatment. Maximum plant height (13.74 cm) was recorded in 10g
Arka microbial consortium + 75% recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100%
Article Info potassium and minimum (8.78 cm) was observed in control. Minimum days to first harvest
(29.63) and last harvest (38.45), maximum number of leaves/plant (10.58) and minimum
Accepted:
harvesting duration (5.57) was recorded in 10g Arka microbial consortium + 75%
10 November 2020
Available Online: recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium. The yield parameters-
10 December 2020 average weight of the plant (164.30g), average weight of trimmed head (133.54g),
yield/plot (4.80kg), yield/ha (10.88t) and quality parameters- Total soluble solids (5.41
°Brix) and Vitamin C (8.66 mg/100g) and the overall acceptability in Organoleptic test
was also recorded best in 10g Arka microbial consortium + 75% recommended dose of
nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium. The maximum gross return, net return and
benefit cost ratio was recorded in 10g arka microbial consortium + 75% recommended
dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium.

Introduction their short duration, high yield, nutritional

richness, economic viability and ability to
Vegetables are integral part of Indian generate on farm and off farm employment.
agriculture and nutritional security due to India is the second largest producer of

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vegetables in the world. Vegetable crops have required for human health, and because of
been well advocated in solving the problem of high cellulose content, it facilitates digestion.
food security. They are rich source of Moreover, lettuce contains lactocin and
vitamins, minerals, fibre and fair amount of lactucopicrin which improve sleep. Plants
protein as well as carbohydrates. In addition generally have a height and spread of 15 to 30
to local market demand vegetables have the cm (6 to 12 in). The leaves are colorful,
potential for both domestic and export market. mainly in the green and red color spectrums,
The vegetable production of our country with some variegated varieties. There are also
before independence was merely about 15 a few varieties with yellow, gold or blue-teal
million tonnes and now the total horticulture leaves. Lettuces have a wide range of shapes
production of the country is estimated to be and textures, from the dense heads of the
306.8 million tonnes during 2017 - iceberg type to the notched, scalloped, frilly
2018.which is 2.05% higher than the previous or ruffly leaves of leaf varieties.
year and 8.5% higher than the past 5 years,
average production of vegetables is estimated Biofertilizers are microbiological fertilizer
to be about 179.7 million tonnes which is which contains selected, highly effected
about 1.0% higher than the previous year. bacterial and fungal strains isolated from soil.
Their input in soil activate appropriate
Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, microbiological processes which enable better
salad greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or and more uniform supply of plant nutrients
simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as
vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender well as some trace elements (Мrkovački et
petioles and shoots. Although they come from al., 2012). The binding of atmospheric
a very wide variety of plants, most shares a nitrogen in the process of biological nitrogen
great deal with other leafy vegetables in fixation is the most important component in
nutrition and cooking method. Nearly one the nitrogen cycle in nature with special
thousand species of plants with edible leaves significance for agriculture (Мrkovački and
are known. Leaf vegetables most often come Мilić, 2001).
from short-lived herbaceous plants, such as
lettuce and spinach. The overuse of mineral fertilizers, pesticides
and inadequate soil management practices,
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is the most popular significantly affect the soil quality by altering
among salad vegetable crops. This crop, is a their physical, chemical, and biological
member of Asteraceae family, is a native to properties, and hence pose a threat to
Mediterranean region. The Latin name sustainable crop production. At present, most
(Lactuca)is derived from the Latin root word” farmers do not apply microbial inoculants due
lac” or “milk” .Among all the lettuce to various reasons such as lack of awareness,
varieties, Romaine lettuce variety is famous lack of a visible effect on crop growth, poor
for its nutrition values. Lettuce is mainly used performance of applied inoculants, non
in food items like wraps, sandwiches apart availability of individual inoculants (N fixers,
from using as leafy vegetable. Lettuce is one Phosphorous solubilizers, growth promoters)
of the most important leafy vegetable crops in at the time of application, Another major
temperate countries. It is rich in vitamin A hurdle in bio-inoculant technology is poor
and C and minerals like Ca and iron quality microbial cultures used for inoculant
(Aykroyd, 1963). This plant is a source of formulation and the inability of these
vitamins and nutrients which are highly inoculant strains to compete with the native

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soil microflora. To overcome these problems, Materials and Methods

it was always felt that it would be beneficial
to formulate a microbial consortium that An experiment entitled “Effect of Different
combined multiple useful strains, in order to Concentration of Arka Microbial Consortium
harness the synergistic effects amongst the on the Growth and Yield and quality of
microbial strains used in inoculum Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cv. Grand rapid
production, and sustained itself at threshold Under Poly house in Prayagraj Agro climatic
levels in the plant rhizosphere in order to Condition” was conducted at Poly house,
exert the beneficial effects of inoculation. The Research Field, Department of Horticulture,
green revolution has popularized the use of Naini Agricultural Institute (NAI), SHUATS,
chemical fertilizers to achieve higher during rabi season, 2019-2020. The
productivity. Excessive use of chemical experiment was laid out in randomized block
fertilizers to obtain high yield resulted in design with three replications. Different
several hazards to the soil, deficiency of concentration of Arka microbial consortium
micronutrients (Kanwar and Randhawa, 1978) (AMC) with 11 treatment combination was
and nutrient imbalance ultimately resulting in tried. The seeds of lettuce (cv. Grand rapid)
the reduction of crop yield. The chemical use and Arka microbial consortium (AMC) were
is hitting the sustainability in soil and collected from IIHR (Indian institute of
decreasing its potency. Therefore, farmers are horticulture research) Bangalore.
in need of searching alternative to replace the
chemical fertilizers. The land preparation was done by deep
ploughing, leveling and other agronomic
Arka Microbial Consortium is a carrier based practices were done throughout the research.
product which contains N fixing, P & Zn Each parameter was recorded at 15 days
solubilizing and Plant Growth Promoting interval. The data recorded was examined
Microbes in a single formulation. The novelty statistically using ANOVA and compared the
of this technology is that farmers need not means of growth yield and quality parameters
apply Nitrogen fixing, Phosphorous of lettuce. Hence this experiment was focused
Solubilizing and Growth Promoting Bacterial to assess the best treatment combination of
inoculants individually. It can be Arka microbial consortium under poly house
conveniently, applied either through seed, in Prayagraj agro climatic condition.
soil, water and nursery media like Coco-peat.
This technology considerably reduces the cost Results and Discussion
of cultivation, besides.
The application of arka microbial consortium
The synergistic effects of the formulated showed remarkable and requisite effect on
microbes can help in sustainable vegetable growth, yield and quality parameters of
production. Advantages of the technology is lettuce (Fig. 1–3 and Table 1–3).
early seed germination, seedlings become
ready for early transplantation by 3-4 days, Growth parameters
increased seedling vigor, reduction of N and P
fertilizer requirement by 25-30%, yield Growth, yield and quality of lettuce are
increases of 5-15 % in different vegetables. It influenced by different concentrations of Arka
can be applied either by seed treatments, coco microbial consortium. Among the different
peat enrichment methods, soil drenching, concentrations; 10g Arka microbial
main field application etc. consortium + 75% recommended dose of

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nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium of the plant (164.30g) and average weight of
gave the minimum days to germination (4.07) trimmed head (133.54g) was recorded in 10g
followed by (4.43) 8g arka microbial Arka microbial consortium + 75%
consortium + 75% recommended dose of recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous
nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium. and 100% potassium and minimum average
Maximum days to germination (6.38) were weight of the plant (g) (110.38) and average
recorded in control treatment. Maximum plant weight of trimmed head (81.20) was found in
height (13.74 cm) was recorded in 10g arka control. The maximum yield/plot (4.80kg)
microbial consortium + 75% recommended and yield/ha (10.88t) was recorded in 10g
dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% Arka microbial consortium + 75%
potassium followed by (12.81) 8g Arka recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous
microbial consortium + 75% recommended and 100% potassium and minimum yield/plot
dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% (kg) (2.91) and yield/ha(ton) (6.59) was found
potassium and minimum (8.78 cm) was in control.
observed in control. The maximum number of
leaves/plant (10.58) was recorded in 10g Arka Quality parameters and organoleptic test
microbial consortium + 75% recommended
dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% In quality parameters- Total soluble solids
potassium followed by (9.86) 8g Arka (5.41 °Brix) and Vitamin C (8.66 mg/100g),
microbial consortium + 75% recommended and the overall acceptability in organoleptic
dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% test was also recorded maximum in 10g Arka
potassium and minimum (7.18) was observed microbial consortium + 75% recommended
in control. These results can be concluded to a dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100%
reason that the production of plant growth potassium. The least values were recorded in
promoting substances by plant growth control under poly house in Prayagraj agro
promoting bacteria significantly increased the climatic condition. The increase in Vitamin C
cell division, higher nitrogen fixation, content might be due to the growth promoting
phosphorus and zinc solubilization; resulting substances produced by microbes in AMC,
in early germination, higher number of leaves which could have accelerated synthesis of
and maximum plant height and etc. The carbohydrates, resulting in increase in
present study was also supported by the Vitamin C content which is a sugar acid
findings of Shenoy and Kalagudy (2012) and Kamali et al., (2002).
Jayashree et al., (2016).
Economics
Yield parameters
The maximum gross return ((Rs. 380800/ha),
Minimum days to first harvest (29.63), last net return (Rs. 318295.00/ha) benefit cost
harvest (38.45), and minimum harvesting ratio (1:6.09) was recorded in 10g arka
duration (5.57) was recorded in 10g Arka microbial consortium + 75% recommended
microbial consortium + 75% recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100%
dose of nitrogen, phosphorous and 100% potassium, and the minimum was observed in
potassium and maximum days to first harvest control treatments, gross return ((Rs.
(36.52), last harvest (45.52), and maximum 230650/ha), net return (Rs. 176050.00/ha)
harvesting duration (8.25) was recorded in benefit cost ratio (1:4.22).
control. The yield parameters; average weight

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Table.1 Evaluation of different concentration of AMC on growth parameters

Treatment Days to Plant height No of Days to First Days to last Harvesting

s germination (cm) leaves/plant harvest harvest duration
T 6.38 8.78 7.18 36.52 45.52 8.25
0
T 5.33 10.69 8.11 32.41 44.55 7.17
1
T 5.63 11.39 8.04 34.52 43.63 6.45
2
T 4.87 10.89 8.46 33.15 39.46 6.27
3
T 4.90 11.77 9.02 34.52 39.52 6.13
4
T 4.69 10.5 8.55 35.41 41.63 6.08
5
T 4.77 12.42 9.43 32.45 39.45 5.75
6
T 5.01 11.32 8.0 35.33 42.52 6.01
7
T 4.43 12.81 9.86 31.45 40.15 5.70
8
T 4.95 10.81 7.57 34.44 41.66 5.87
9
T 4.07 13.74 10.58 29.63 38.45 5.57
10
CD (0.05) 0.951 1.144 0.703 2.357 2.402 0.470

Table.2 Evaluation of different concentration of AMC on yield parameters

Treatments Average weight Average weight Yield per Yield/ha

of plant (g) (Trimmed head) plot (kg) (ton)
(g)
T0 110.38 81.20 2.91 6.59
T1 114.76 84.81 3.04 6.88
T2 115.53 88.62 3.18 7.20
T3 127.96 104.88 3.46 8.54
T4 121.34 93.41 3.35 7.59
T5 127.03 96.31 3.60 8.16
T6 136.22 105.13 3.77 8.56
T7 131.38 100.23 3.78 7.84
T8 141.89 113.67 4.08 9.24
T9 121.01 94.44 3.39 7.68
T10 164.30 133.54 4.80 10.88
CD (0.05) 4.127 3.488 0.132 0.295

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Table.3 Evaluation of different concentration of AMC on quality parameters

and Organoleptic test

Treatments Total soluble solids Vitamin C Overall

(Brix) (mg/100g) acceptability
T0 4.10 6.57 5.73
T1 4.46 7.23 6.80
T2 4.34 7.80 6.60
T3 4.33 7.63 7.33
T4 4.57 7.35 6.33
T5 4.28 7.35 6.53
T6 5.17 8.12 6.20
T7 4.46 7.23 6.33
T8 5.27 8.46 6.60
T9 4.59 7.52 7.87
T10 5.41 8.66 7.87
CD (0.05) 0.696 0.264 0.482

Fig.1 Histogram depicting performance of different concentration of AMC on days to

germination, plant height, number of leaves per plant

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Fig.2 Histogram depicting performance of different concentration of AMC on yield per plot and
yield per hectare

Fig.3 Histogram depicting performance of different concentration of AMC on Quality

parameters and Organoleptic test

Based on the present investigation it is .10 g AMC Recorded maximum performance

concluded that Growth yield and quality of with respect to almost all the vegetative
lettuce was influenced by different growth Yield as well as Quality
concentration of Arka microbial consortium characteristics. Control treatment, showed

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poor performance out of all the treatments 19

applied. By using AMC harvesting was early Jayashree, C. and Jagadeesh, K.S. 2016,
as compared normal Harvest,10g AMC also Nursery inoculation of the selected
recorded maximum for gross return, net return vegetable seedlings with a microbial
and for cost benefit ratio. Therefore, treatment consortium and its field performance in
10g arka microbial consortium + 75% brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). M.Sc
recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorous Thesis, Univ. Agric. Sci., Dharwad
and 100% potassium and treatment 8g arka Kamal Kant, Devi Singh and V. M. Prasad
microbial consortium + 75% recommended (2019). Effect of Microbes and
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How to cite this article:

Aswathi, N. C., V. M. Prasad and Gadha Sreekumar. 2020. Effect of Different Concentration of
Arka Microbial Consortium on the Growth Yield and Quality of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cv.
Grand rapid under Poly House in Prayagraj Agro Climatic Condition.
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 9(12): 1135-1143. doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.912.137

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