Abstract
In a field experiment, three-year-old Kinnow trees budded on Jatti Katti (C. jambhiri) rootstock were inoculated by three different arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), Glomus manihotis (T1), Glomus mosseae (T2), and Gigaspora gigantia (T3), separately or in combination (T4). Microscopic assessment of AM colonization on Kinnow roots showed a relatively lower level of infection by different species when inoculated separately than when inoculaed together. Application of AM improved growth parameters like plant height, canopy volume, mean leaf area, and number of new shoots per plant but had no effect on trunk diameter, number of leaf per new shoot and new shoot diameter. Flowering phenology was also altered by AM infection. The infected plants produced more flowers which despite abscission caused an increase in the initial number of fruits. AM inoculation increased plant phosphorous in T3, potassium in T1, T2, T3, calcium in T2, T3, T4, and the AM-nutrient relationship did not reveal any generalized pattern. Inoculated plants, however, had higher concentration of different elements by the second year of the experiment indicating towards the continuous and cumulative effect of AM infection on plant nutrient accumulation. Further, the beneficial effects of AM on Kinnow were not related to the difference in the species of mycorrhiza.
Highlights
There have been many scientific reports suggesting that inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhiza may cause an additive or synergistic growth enhancement of the inoculated host plant [1]
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species including Glomus manihotis, Glomus mosseae, and Gigaspora gigantia were applied to Kinnow plants alone and in combination when the root system was in active stage and when new roots were formed in February
The data revealed maximum root colonization in T4 (48%) followed by T1 (39%), T3 (26%), and T2 (20%), respectively, (Table 1). It can be clearly seen from the data that, in general, AFM treatments increased plant height when compared with noninoculated control significantly in the first year (25– 31.3% for AMF treatments and 23.5% for noninoculated control at S2)
Summary
There have been many scientific reports suggesting that inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhiza may cause an additive or synergistic growth enhancement of the inoculated host plant [1]. Tang and Wan [3] observed an increase in shoot length and leaf area of mycorrhizal citrus seedlings than noninoculated control. Inoculation with different AM species, Glomus mosseae, G. etunicatus, and G. fasciculatum, showed improved growth of citrus, ornamental, and vegetable crops [4]. Based on the experimental results, Shreshta et al [7] proved that Satsuma mandarin trees inoculated with AM species, Glomus fasciculatum, G. mosseae, and Gigaspora ramisporophora, grew better compared to control. They possessed larger leaf area, more vigorous tree growth. Species differences of AM on the growth of carrot and onion
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