Original Article Impact of the pesticides monocrotophos and quinalphos on the nutrient contents of red amaranth under arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus inoculation

The present work deals with the impact of the pesticides, Monocrotophos and Quinalphos on the nutrients contents of Red Amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) under AM fungus inoculation. The Red Amaranth plants are grown in pots in a split plot design with pesticides levels as main treatments (Recommended level (0.5), Below recommended level (0.1) and Above recommended level (1.5) ppm) and AM fungus as sub treatments (AM- uninoculated and AM+ inoculated). The experiments were replicated seven times. The Red Amaranth plants are raised in pots. The AM fungus (Glomus fasciculatum) were mixed with the sand and applied to the pot soil (10 kg /acre). The two pesticides Monocrotophos and Quinalphos were sprayed on 5 th day at three different levels. Pots were irrigated as and when necessary. The plant samples were analyzed at three different intervals (10, 20 and 30DAS) .The results indicated that the pesticides ( Monocrotophos and Quinalphos) application, at the three rates (Recommended level, Below recommended level and Above recommended level) caused reduction in various nutrients contents such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium when applied without AM fungus inoculation. Application of pesticides (Monocrotophos and Quinalphos) at recommended level 0.5 ppm along with AM fungus inoculation only increased the nutrients contents of the Red Amaranth. © 2011 Universal Research Publications. All rights reserved