Influence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on some Physical Properties and Nutrient Uptake in a Sandy Loam Soil under Growth of Tomato

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are beneficial not only for providing plants with nutrients but also for improving the soil structure and aggregate stability by producing glomalin، which is a glycoprotein. A completely randomized block experimental design was conducted with two species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi، Glomus intraradices (GI)، Glomus etunicatum (GE) and non-mycorrhizal (control) under growth of tomato with four replicates in a sandy loam soil at greenhouse conditions. Results showed that GI and GE significantly (P < 0. 01) increased mean weight diameter of aggregates (MWD) by 193. 4 and 288. 8 %، mesopores by 49. 7 and 25. 9 %، micropores by 5. 5 and 19. 6 %، field capacity (FC) moisture by 14. 1 and 35. 1 %، permanent wilting point (PWP) by 12. 4 and 22. 6 %، available water capacity (AWC) by 14. 9 and 41. 3 %، but decreased bulk density (Db) by 4. 1 and 8 %، macropores by 10 and 14. 1 %، saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) by 52. 4 and 70. 8 %، respectively in comparison with control treatment. GI and GE fungi significantly (P < 0. 01) increased uptake of phosphorus and potassium by 600. 8 and 1089. 2 %، 506. 2 and 811. 5 %، respectively relative to the control in tomato shoot.