Integrated Applications of Microbial Bioinoculants

Marsdenia volubilis Cooke is a medicinal member of the family Asclepiadaceae, which is cosmopolitan in distribution. Traditionally, leaves are used as an application to boils and abscesses. The plant is also useful in psoriasis, scabies. It contains dregein alkaloids, the major bioactive principles which are in demand as natural drugs by the persons suffering from tumor. The plant is being used very specifically in the indigenous systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The amount of active principles depends on total biomass, which further depends on agrotechniques and biofertilizer applications. Recently, the integrated application of microbial inoculants to agro-technologies for the cultivation of medicinal plants is being promoted for improving their productivity in terms of biomass and bioactive constituents. The effect of microbial bioinoculants on cultivation of medicinal plants for maximum yield is gaining momentum. Our book provides a report on the stimulatory effect of bioinoculants on the growth and yield of M.volubilis. This study may claim a new management option for producing high bioactives and biomass of medicinal plants through microbial inoculation.