RESPONSE OF BIO-INOCULANTS TO EARLY SEEDLING GROWTH IN ASH GOURD AND RIDGE GOURD

The present study was carried out to evaluate the response of different bio-agents/ bio-fungicides and growth regulators on seed germination and early seedling growth of Ash gourd (Benincasa hispida) and Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula). Gibberellic acid(GA3)and NAA(Napthoxy Acetic Acid) were used as growth regulator and Trichoderma viride, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum like bio-pesticides or bio-fungicides? were used as bio-agents. Eleven treatments were used for the present investigation. Higher germination was observed in Treatment-5, Treatment-6, Treatment-10 and Treatment-11 in contrast to other treatments like chemicals as well as control in case of Ridge gourd and Treatment 7, Treatment 3 and Treatment-11 was found significantly better than all other treatments in case of Ash gourd. Generally root and shoot length increased with the advancement of growth stages.? Pseudomonas fluorescens (Treatment-4) treated seeds showed higher number of secondary root in comparison to all other treatments. The shoot length and root length in both the cases (ash gourd and ridge gourd) were highly influenced by the bio-inoculants and chemicals but influence of bio-agents were found better than the chemicals .Similarly the seedling weight at 96hours after sowing and at 144 hours after sowing ( in both the cases? of Ash gourd and Ridge gourd ) was reported higher? when the seeds were treated with bio-inoculants which reflected the efficacy of the bio-inoculants compared to others.