Molecular Study of Root Colonization and Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) Associated with Lesser Yam (Dioscorea esculenta)

Abstract

Lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta) can be utilized as a functional food due to the high content of inulin, an ingredient of food products and prebiotics. Hence, it is important to increase and promote yam tuber production by using beneficial microbes such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). This research was aimed to investigate the root colonization and diversity of AMF associated with lesser yam growing at two altitudes. Soil and root samples were collected from different altitudes, lowlands and highlands. The percentage of root colonization was measured using both the staining method and relative quantification using qPCR. The diversity of AMF was analyzed by using molecular approach T–RFLP with a specific primer pair AML1–AML2 and measured by Shannon–Wiener index. Results showed that root samples from lowlands had a higher percentage of root colonization and significant difference than highlands. A total of identified 17 AMF species belonging to 9 genera: Scutelluspora, Septoglomus, Sclerocystis, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Acaulospora, Claroideoglomus, Funneliformis, and Glomus were determined based on genebank database. Acaulospora was the most dominant and abundant, followed by Glomus and Gigaspora. The study indicated that these genera will be more effective used as potential AMF inoculum to improve lesser yam tuber production.