Abstract
Developing countries including India are using laterite bricks extracted from laterite rocks for building construction. Laterite rocks are found barren usually as they are not fit for cultivation. Extraction of laterite bricks from these barren laterite rocks causing land degradation and posing environmental threats in the laterite excavated lands. Hence, planting or establishing of trees on laterite rocks can prevent land degradation and environmental problems. In this study, it was decided to establish Ailanthus tryphysa (Dennst.) Alston a multipurpose native tree species of India on laterite rocks with suitable beneficial microbes as growth promotors. The laterite soils dug out from laterite rocks were tested and found that the soils have lack of beneficial microbes and poor in major nutrients (N, P, K). Therefore the beneficial microbes, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and growth promoting bacteria were used for A. tryphysa as they are one of the important soil properties. The laterite soils were also used as potting media for the seedlings of A. tryphysa in nursery and thereafter the cultured beneficial microbes were inoculated in to the seedlings and maintained for three months. After three months the seedlings were planted at laterite rocks and monitored for their growth and survival. The results of the experiment showed that beneficial microbes inoculated seedlings improved the growth, biomass, tissue nutrient content and 95% of survival rate after twelve months in laterite rocks. These results confirmed that the beneficial microbes have successfully established the A. tryphysa seedlings in laterite rocks through transfer of essential nutrients.