Genotypic variation in vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal dependence of the pejibaye palm

Abstract

Two experiments were undertaken to determine the degree of mycorrhizal dependency of pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes, Palmae) seedling progenies from two Amazonian (Pampa Hermosa; Putumayo) and one Central American (Guatuso) land races. Plants were grown in subsurface samples of either an Oxisol (the Amazonian progenies) or an Ultisol, with or without inoculation with the vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizae fungus (VAMF) Glomus aggregatum, at three concentrations of soil solution phosphorous (P). VAMF inoculation enhanced leaf phosphorus (P) concentration and dry matter accumulation at the intermediate soil P concentration in all progenies. Dry matter accumulation was enhanced by 17%, 54%, and 64% in the Pampa Hermosa, Putumayo, and Guatuso progenies, respectively. They are therefore classified as being marginally (Pampa Hermosa) or highly dependent. This infra‐specific genetic variation with respect to mycorrhizal dependency merits further study for possible exploitation in plant improvement for sustainable agriculture.

Notes

Hawaii Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Journal Series 4058.

Department of Horticulture, 3190 Maile Way.

Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia ‐ INPA, Cx. Postal 478, 69011 Manaus, AM, Brasil.

Department of Agronomy and Soil Science, 1910 East‐West Road.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

C. R. Clement

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