Abstract:
The experiment on the effect of organics along with Azospirillum (Root and soil isolate) on growth and leaf yield in Gymnema (<em>Gymnema sylvestre R.Br</em>) was carried out at the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar. There were totally seventeen treatments viz., T<sub>1-</sub>Vermicompost (0.5kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>2-</sub>Vermicompost (1.0kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>3- </sub>Decomposed coir pith (2.5kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>4- </sub>Decomposed coir pith (5.0kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate),T<sub>5- </sub>FYM (5.0kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>6- </sub>FYM (10.0kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>7- </sub>Pressmud (2.5 kg)+ Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>8- </sub>Pressmud (5.0 kg)+ Azospirillum (Root isolate), T<sub>9-</sub>Vermicompost (0.5kg) + Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>10-</sub>Vermicompost (1.0kg) + Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>11- </sub>Decomposed coir pith (2.5kg) + Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>12- </sub>Decomposed coir pith (5.0kg) + Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>13- </sub>FYM (5.0kg) + Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>14- </sub>FYM (10.0kg) + Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>15- </sub>Pressmud (2.5 kg)+ Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>16- </sub>Pressmud (5.0 kg)+ Azospirillum (Soil isolate), T<sub>17</sub>-Control. There were established in the pot culture and observed for certain growth characters like Plant height, Number of laterals plant<sup>-1</sup>, Number of leaves lateral<sup>-1</sup>, Leaf length (cm),Leaf breadth(cm), Leaf area(cm<sup>2</sup>), Single leaf weight(gm.), 100 Leaves weight(gm.), Fresh leaf yield plant<sup>-1</sup>(gm.) and dry leaf yield were recorded four months of planting. The Treatment T<sub>2-</sub>Vermicompost (1.0kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate(10gm.)) recorded highest plant height (264.36), Number of laterals/plant (52.19), Number of leaves/lateral (110.13), Leaf length (7.88cm), Leaf breath (5.87cm), Leaf area (17.55cm<sup>2</sup>), Single leaf weight (0.44gm.), 100 leaves weight (44.18gm.), Fresh leaves yield/plant (3.86kg.) and Dry leaves/plant (2.91kg.). This was followed by T4- Decomposed coir pith (5.0kg) + Azospirillum (Root isolate 10 gm.).