Paper Details

Isolation of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and selection of host plant for inoculum production

Abdullahi, S. Lihan, R. Edward

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/5.12.116-122

Int. J. Biosci. 5(12), 116-122. December, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

The objective of this study was to select a suitable host plant for mass production of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Lemongrass and onion were compared for mass multiplication of Glomus species viz; Gl. mossea, Gl. geosporum and Gl. etunicatum. Spore count ranges from 17.67 (Gl.  etunicatum) to 26.33 (Gl. mossea) g-1 soil under onion and lemongrass respectively. There was no significant difference (0.05) between Gl. Mossea and Gl. Geosporum in onion. Similarly, no significant difference was observed between Gl. Geosporum and Gl.etunicatum  in lemongrass.  Gl.mossea recorded the highest spore number followed by Gl.geosporum  in both plant species. Root colonization % ranges from 67.33% (Gl.mossea) in onion to 80% (Gl.geosporum) in lemongrass. Colonization % of Gl.mossea  and Gl.geosporum were statistically similar under individual plant species. Despite the lowest spore counts recorded by Gl.etunicatum, % root colonization was significantly (0.05) higher compared to  Gl.mossea  and  Gl.geosporum  in onion. Lemongrass recorded the highest average mean (77.33%) of root colonization % and spore counts (23.44) compared to onion (68.44%, 19.67). The study showed that AMF-plant interaction was host preference.  Lemongrass favored the mass multiplication of  Gl. mossea, Gl.geosporum  and  Gl.etunicatum   thus,  was the most suitable host plant  compared to onion for inoculum production.