Acclimatization is one of the bottleneck in in vitro grown plantlets. A process in which micropropagated plantlets are inoculated with suitable strains of microorganisms in order to enhance their acclimatization. Scientifically defined as 'Biotization/Bio-hardening is a metabolic response of in vitro grown plant material to a microbial inoculant(s), leading to the developmental and physiological changes enhancing biotic and abiotic stress resistance of the derived propagules. VAM is widely

more »

... bioagent because of its intracellular obligate endosymbiont nature, improves the properties of soil in rhizophere, enlarges root areas of host plants and improves its efficiency of water absorption and enhances the absorption of P and other nutritional elements. AMF (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi) i.e VAM and Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria are gaining much importance as this concern. Glomus mosseae, Glomus manihotis, Gigaspora ramisporophora, Scuttellospora fulgida and Enterophoraspora colombiana are important AMFs and Azospirrulum spp. Azotobacter spp. Bacillus spp. Bradyrhizobium spp. Pseudomonas sp. are the important PGPRs used in hardening of micropropagated plants. Bio agents can be applied during in vitro stage (inoculation through media) or during acclimatization stage (soil, drip irrigation, spray or root dipping). The bio-agents such as VAM, bacteria and others are reported to substantially enhance the establishment rate of the micropropagated plants and they empower the plants with extra molecular weapons to tackle the situation once exposed to the ambient environment. Hence to get beneficial effects of these organisms and it is better to exploit much of these species in micropropagation of commercial horticultural crops.