Influence of microbial symbionts and nano zinc on soil chemical and biological properties in strawberry field

In pursuit of sustainable agricultural advancements, this study was carried out over two consecutive years, examining the effects of interaction among arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, selenobacteria and nano zinc on the rhizospheric characteristics.The experiment involved two different levels of AM fungi, three levels of selenobacteria and nano zinc oxide each, replicated thrice in factorial randomized block design, under polyhouse conditions.The highest soil concentrations of zinc and selenium were obtained from the combination of AM fungi, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (selenobacterial strain), and 100 mg/L nano zinc.Additionally, there were elevated microbial counts, including total bacterial count, selenobacterial count, phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria and AM spores.The interactive treatments also had a significant impact on soil enzymes.The AM fungi, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and 100 mg/L nano zinc together recorded increased enzymatic activities of acid phosphatase (55.47%) and alkaline phosphatase (66.69%) than control.This study offers significant findings for improving agricultural methods, which can significantly improve ensuring food security, thereby boosting the adoption of sustainable farming systems.