Premium
EFFECT OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA ON PLANT GROWTH
Author(s) -
DAFT M. J.,
ELGIAHMI A. A.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1978.tb01570.x
Subject(s) - biology , mycorrhiza , dry matter , agronomy , arbuscular mycorrhiza , glomus , symbiosis , rhizobium , endophyte , spore , botany , horticulture , inoculation , bacteria , genetics
SUMMARY Defoliation of maize and tomatoes reduced the mycorrhizal growth response and development of the endophyte, estimated as percentage infection, root pigmentation and spore production. More fresh and dry matter was produced in mycorrhizal grasses harvested on three separate occasions than from a single final harvest. The total yields from two harvests and the yield from a single harvest of alfalfa were similar although nodulated and mycorrhizal plants were larger at each harvest. In both grasses and alfalfa, periodic harvesting reduced the mycorrhizal infection by approximately 50%. Reduction in daylength and irradiance depressed the growth more in mycorrhizal than in uninfected maize plants. In Rhizobium‐ and Glomus‐infected alfalfa plants, a daylength of 16 h produced the highest carbon contents and C/N ratios. Plants exposed to short days produced more, smaller nodules and had higher nitrogen contents than plants given long days. Long days favoured the development of the mycorrhizal infection and these dually infected plants produced more dry matter, reduced acetylene faster and contained more nitrogen than nodulated only plants. The supply of photosynthate is probably an important factor controlling the development of the mycorrhiza.