Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on growth of Stylosanthes seabrana

Abstract

Effect of ten arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on growth of Stylosanthes seabrana was studied in alfisol and vertisol with and without autoclaving under green house conditions, for identification of suitable AM inoculants. AM inoculations significantly increased plant growth and phosphorus (P) uptake. Plant height was increased by 73-98%, shoot dry weight by 68-121%, root dry weight by 109-237%, P content of host tissues by 11-46% and P uptake plant-1 by 78-239%. Increase in above mentioned parameters can be attributed to the increase in soil volume explored for nutrients/water uptake by mycorrhizal plants as compared to non-mycorrhizal ones. The studied parameters were significantly higher in vertisol than in alfisol, which could be due to higher fertility level of vertisol. Substrate sterilization did not affect plant height, shoot and root dry weights and P uptake plant-1. Mycorrhizal dependency of S. seabrana grown in sterile soil was significantly higher than those grown in non-sterile soil. Thus, the results showed that AM inoculants increased growth and biomass of S. seabrana.