Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Melocanna baccifera from disturbed and undisturbed sites in Mizoram, India

Lalnunthari Lalnunthari,Saizamrengi Saizamrengi,John Zothanzama

doi:10.33493/scivis.19.02.05

Abstract

Melocanna baccifera is a well-known native bamboo species of India belonging to the grass family Poaceae. A study on the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) association with M. baccifera was conducted from a disturbed and undisturbed bamboo forest sites within Mizoram University, Mizoram, India. Soil from the rhizosphere region as well as physico-chemical properties of the soil were taken to study AMF diversity. The roots were observed for percentage colonization by AMF. It was found that undisturbed site had higher colonization percentage (56%) than the disturbed site (46%). The Shannon’s diversity index showed that undisturbed site (1.46) had more diversity than the disturbed site (1.59) while disturbed site showed lower index of dominance (3.34) which indicates higher shared dominance of AMF species than undisturbed site (4.66).

Highlights

A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant
Root colonization: For the analysis of mycorrhizal colonization in the plants, the root samples were washed free of soil and cut into 1 cm long bits, cleared in 2.5% KOH at 90°C for 20-30 minutes, rinsed in water, acidified with 5N HCl and stained in lactophenol containing 0.05% trypan blue.[16]
Fifty (50) segments of stained root samples were mounted on slides and examined for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization under a compound microscope at 10x10 magnifications

Summary

Introduction

A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic (generally mutualistic, but occasionally weakly pathogenic) association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant. The fungus colonizes the host plant’s roots, either intracellularly as in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF or AM), or extracellularly as in ectomycorrhizal fungi. They are an important component of soil life and soil chemistry. While only a small proportion of all species has been examined, 95% of those plant families are predominantly mycorrhizal.[1] This mutualistic association provides the fungus with relatively constant and direct access to carbohydrates, such as glucose and sucrose.[2]

Objectives

Methods

Results