Amelioration of Pb and Mn Toxicity to Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Glomus intraradices by Maize Root Exudates

Abstract

The effect of maize root exudates on the toxicity of lead and manganese to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus intraradices was studied in vitro by observation of intraradical hyphae regrowth from colonised root segments. Higher heavy metal (HM) concentrations strongly reduced the hyphal growth, however, the inhibitory effect was to a large extent eliminated by the addition of maize root exudates to the media. However, the capacity of exudates to ameliorate HM toxicity was limited and did not operate when a threshold HM concentration was reached.