The test crops were sown in shallow pots using the following germination
medium (having 5 kg soil in each pot):
(i) top soil collected from the native woodlots of the tree crops mentioned
above, (ii) rhizosphere soil collected from the root systems of tree crops from
native woodlots (after digging 2-3 ft), (iii) garden soil collected from experimental
garden and oven dried crushed leaves (20 gms) mulched in the
upper layers of each pot, (iv) garden soil watered with aqueous extract of
fresh leaves of tree crops, and (v) garden soil watered with ordinary water
served as control