Scientists have discovered a cultivable fungus that is found to posses the powers to increase the growth and productivity of vegetables in the hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh. The mycorrhiza-like micro organism, called piriformospora indica (PFSI), can boost the yield of vegetables including cauliflower, capsicum and tomato, according to K S Bains, director general of Amity University, Noida.
The national centre of organic farming has recommended the use of this fungus for all Himachali crops, particularly horticulture plants, grain crops and vegetables. The scientists in the university have conducted successful trials on vegetable crops in Kangra and Kullu districts in varied temperature.
The endeavour, under which around 125 farmers were provided free samples of the fungus for use in around 150 kanal area crops, has been successful in both places, with the crop yield, quality and productivity rising “manifold” due to use of PFSI, says Bains.
The fungus has also improved the growth and overall biomass production of diverse hosts, including legumes and plants that are important from medicinal and economic angles. Amity, Bains informs, will now provide free samples of the fungus to the apple orchardists in Himachal Pradesh to ensure that the crops are disease-free, and that there is an increase in their content and quality.
The institute has appointed Manali’s Lahaul Potato Society as the nodal agency for the promotion of PFSI among the farming community. There is a move to form more such agencies in the state in the near future, he adds.
