Effects of Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhiza and Mycorrhiza-Like Fungi on Growth and Phosphorus Uptake of Coriander

 Using the potential of soil microbes such as mycorrhizal fungi in the form of biofertilizers is an environmental friendly way to help reduce the use of chemical inputs and reduce the damage to the environment and humans. In this study, the effect of inoculation of coriander with two species of mycorrhizal fungi (Diversispora versiformis and Rhizophagus irregularis) and one species of mycorrhiza-like fungus (Piriformospora indica) on the yield and phosphorus uptake was investigated in a pot culture experiment.

 The results showed that the application of all three species of fungi were significant in terms of the effect on growth indices (shoot and root dry weight) and phosphorus concentration compared to the control treatment (p <0.01). Compared to the negative control, the enhancement of shoot dry weight in PC was 36.13%. Accordingly, the root dry weight in R. irregularis, PC and D. versiformis treatments (48.04%, 45.65% and 42.94%, respectively), the chlorophyll index in P. indica (32.18%), the root colonization in P. indica + R. irregularis (91.75%), the shoot phosphorus concentration in P. indica (34.50%) and root phosphorus concentration in P. indica + R. irregularis (25.88%) were higher compared to the negative control treatment.

 According to the results of this study, mycorrhizal fungi can be used in vegetable cultivation to reduce the use of phosphate fertilizers to increase plant yield.