The distribution and presence of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi in the roots and rhizosphere soils of Cucurbitaceae plants grown at Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

The study aims to determine the presence of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) in roots and rhizosphere soils of Cucurbitaceae plants (Luffa cylindrica, Lagenaria siceraria, Benincasa hispida, Cucumis sativus, Momordica charantia) grown at Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City. Identification of the AMF was made by observation of spore morphology, AMF structures in root tissues and confirmed by sequencing of SSU rDNA. The colonization ratio was 5.1%, and the spore density of AMF in the rhizosphere soil was an average of 63.6 spores/50 g soils and the root symbiotic ratio was 5.1%. The morphological identification of AMF has determined spores of five genera: Glomus, Acaulospora, Gigaspora, Scutellospora and Sclerocystis, demonstrating a morphological variety of AMF spores in rhizosphere soil of Cucurbitaceae plants. Three species were identified based on the sequence analysis of the SSU rDNA gene amplified by the AML1/AML2 primer: Acaulospora cavernata, Acaulospora spinosa, and Rhizophagus intraradices. Cucumis sativus had the highest spore density and root ratio, followed by Lagenaria siceraria and Momordica charantia in the greenhouse trial of AMF re-infection in three plants: Cucumis sativus, Lagenaria siceraria, and Momordica charantia. The AMF identification result revealed five genera: Glomus, Acaulospora, Gigaspora, Scutellospora, and Sclerocystis in the rhizosphere soil, as well as symbiosis in the roots of 3 genera: Glomus, Acaulospora, and Scutellospora.