The influence of use of different rates of mycorrhizal inoculum on root infection, plant growth, and phosphorus uptake

Abstract

Sorghum and leek plants were used as hosts in order to test the effectiveness and infectiveness of four mycorrhizal species on spore production, plant growth and phosphorus (P) uptake. When sorghum was used as a test plant, Glomus mosseae, Glomus etunicatum, and Glomus caledonium, respectively, gave the highest number of spores, while on leek, G. etunicatum, G. mosseae, and G. caledonium, respectively, resulted in higher spore production. Glomus intraradices produced the least amount of inoculum among the four species. Based on relative spore production and root infection, G. mosseae and G. etunicatum were determined to be the two best fungi as sources of inoculum for further use in the experiment. It is very important to know the minimum amount of inoculum in order to reach the maximum percentage of infection. Thus different amounts of inoculum were applied to determine optimum rates of inoculation. Sorghum and leek plants were infected with 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 g G. mosseae and G. etunicatum of mycorrhizal inoculum per pot in a low P content and natural soil. As the inoculum rate increased, plant parameters and the percent of infection gradually increased with increasing rate to 18 g. Higher inoculum rates did not stimulate growth on infection percentage.