The role of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on crop, tree and grasses grown in an arid environment

In the arid region of western Rajasthan, India, the effect of different vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMF) were studied on trees (Prosopis juliflora), grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and crops (Vigna aconitifolia) under field conditions. Plants were grown in poor fertility sandy soil with a low indigenous VAMF population. Growth and nutrient uptake of non-inoculated plants were compared with the growth and nutrient uptake of VAMF-inoculated plants. After 8 weeks of growth, percent root infection increased 2•9-fold in inoculated plants. At maturity of crop and after 1 year growth of grass and trees, shoot biomass, N, P, K, Zn and Cu concentration were significantly improved in all cases of inoculated plants, although Mn concentration decreased significantly. In general, the effect was most pronounced in tree components (Prosopis juliflora), andGlomus fasciculatumwas found to be the most effective VAMF under arid conditions. The results suggest that increased uptake of nutrients by plants with VAMF under field conditions may be a general phenomenon which would have important implications for elemental composition of plants. The effect may also be manifested by other types of mycorrhizal association.