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ABSTRACT
When the influence of five host plants on spores produced by three mycorrhizal fungi was tested, the number of spores produced was highly variable within treatment. Sporulation of Glomus fasciculatum was significantly influenced by host plant but spore production by G. macrocarpum and G. mosseae was not. Spore production was not correlated with degree of root colonization but with plant dry weight, although differences in dry weight alone could not explain the influence of host plant on G. fasciculatum sporulation. Apparently, sporulation of G. fasciculatum is more heavily influenced by host plant than is sporulation of G. macrocarpum and G. mosseae. Different levels of host-fungus affinity may exist. When the efficiency (ability to colonize) of the inoculum produced by the three fungi on the five host plants was compared, few significant differences were evident even at the lowest dilution of 1.4 spores/42 g soil. Thus, the ability of spores to colonize their host may be relatively constant despite differences in spore numbers which have been produced.
