Evaluation of Spirulina platensis as microbial inoculants to enhanced protein levels in Amaranthus gangeticus

The demand for increase in food production for increasing population with adequate bioavailable nutrients has become a challenge for the agriculturists, nutritionists, biotechnologists to meet the requirements of mankind. The microbial biofertilizers are applied in the form of seaweed liquid extracts, microbial inoculants, biostimulators and biofortification agents. All these categories of microbial biofertilizers are involved in the enhancement of plant nutrient uptake and result in increase of vitamin and nutrient contents in plants producing high yields. Spirulina platensis is a blue green alga of cyanobacterial member and it is rich in protein. In the present study, Spirulina platensis is used as a biofortification agent to enhance leaf protein levels in crops such as Amaranthus gangeticus. Different experimental methods were followed including soaking seeds in different concentrations of Spirulina (5 to 30 g); soaking seeds in Spirulina at different time intervals (1 h – overnight); Spirulina in combination with biofertilizers, chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer and Vermicompost  in various proportions (25:75; 50:50; 75:25). The protein content of the yield was estimated and the study results indicated that there was significant increase in protein with biofortification of S. platensis.   Key words: Spirulina platensis, Amaranthus gangeticus, protein, dietary supplements and biofortification.