Correlation between arbuscular mycorrhiza in wheat and physicochemical characteristics of soil

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in symbiosis with plant roots help to absorb more phosphorus, and increase the growth and development of plants. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between population and diversity of AMF, and physicochemical characteristics of soil in wheat fields of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in southwestern Iran.

Thirty wheat fields in this province, were visited near harvest time, and their rhizosphere and aerial organs were sampled. AMF spores were isolated by sieving the rhizosphere suspension in water and centrifuging in Sucrose solution. The spore population of these fungi was count. The percentage of root length colonization by these fungi was calculated in every sample. The morphological characteristics of the isolated spores were studied and the collected information was compared with the descriptions of AMF and the fungi present in each sample were identified. Texture, soil dispersion, soil and plant phosphorus content were determined and the correlation coefficient between AMF population and diversity with physical and chemical characteristics of soil and wheat plant were calculated.

Fifteen arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi belonging to nine genera: Acaulospora, Archaeospora, Entrophospora, Gigaspora, Claroideumglomus, Funeliformis, Rhizoglomus, Septoglomus and Scutellospora were identified. The diversity of these fungi in the samples was (2-)2.9(-5) and F. mosseae was dominant species with 90% relative frequency. The population of these fungi had a negative correlation with soil pH, but with soil soluble phosphorus and plant phosphorus content had a positive correlation. The diversity of these fungi had a positive correlation with soil soluble phosphorus. There was a positive correlation between the amount of sand in the soil and the root length colonization.

AMF have a greater population and diversity in soils with light texture, less moisture along with low amounts of soluble phosphorus and organic matter. The positive correlation between the population of these fungi and plant phosphorus indicates their usefulness for the plant.