Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal association in rhizosphere of Hevea brasiliensis

Abstract

Occurrence of VAM spores in Hevea brasiliensis growing soils and percent colonization in roots of three varieties (RRII 105, RRIM 600 and GT 1) were studied. Spore population varied from 30 to 45/g soil and the root infection of all the three varieties ranged from 70 to I00 % in both mature and young plants. Percent of root infection was found to be more in the drought resistant varieties RRII 105 followed by RRIM 600 and the less drought resistant variety GT-1. Nine different types of glomalean spores were recovered from the soil samples, including five from the genus Glomus, three from Acaulospora, one from Gigaspora and few undefined species of Sclerocystis. The scanning electron microscopic observations of the most commonly occurring spores of Glomus fasciculatum revealed smooth wall character with number of pits.