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Prospects in Bioscience: Addressing the Issues pp 141–149Cite as

Seasonal Variation of Spore Density and Root Colonisation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizae in Crop Plants in Relation to Soil Edaphic Factors

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Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are recognised as an essential component of sustainable agricultural ecosystem. Keeping in view the importance of AM fungi, the present study was undertaken for assessing the AM fungal spore population dynamics in the rhizosphere soil and its colonisation as a function of seasonal variation in relation to soil physico-chemical factors associated with eight crop plants collected from Nanded district, Maharashtra state, India. The major crop plants grown in these region includes Glycine max, Saccharum officinarum, Zea mays, Cajanus cajan, Gossypium sativum, Triticum aestivum, Sorghum vulgare and Cicer arietinum. Therefore, these crop plants were selected for the present study. The rhizospheric soil physico-chemical parameters included in this study are temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, % moisture, water holding capacity, organic matter, C, N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Cu. The pH of soil samples was found to be alkaline. The electrical conductivity and alkalinity was observed to be high in summer and rainy season, respectively. The high amount of organic matter, organic C, N, P and Ca was recorded in rainy season. In all the three seasons, the percentage of root colonised by arbuscular mycorrhizal AM fungal propagules was found to be more in Zea mays as compared to other crop plants. The Pearson correlation coefficient data showed that the AM fungal spore density and percentage of root colonisation by native AM fungi varied significantly in crop plants and influenced by soil edaphic factors. Significant negative correlation of mean spore density with temperature, electrical conductivity and K was recorded during winter and rainy season, and it was positive with Cu in winter season. The high degree of positive correlation of % root colonisation with pH, Zn and Cu was observed during winter and rainy season. However, it was negative with N and Ca content of soil. The regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation (R 2 = 0.57, y = 7.69x + 6.47) between spore density and % root colonisation during rainy season. Therefore, this study suggests that status of AM fungi in agricultural crop plants may be influenced by season and soil edaphic factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded, 431606, Maharashtra, India

    Deepake Ujwala Sheshrao & G. Gyananath

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  1. Deepake Ujwala Sheshrao
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  2. G. Gyananath
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Correspondence to Deepake Ujwala Sheshrao .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept of Biotechnology & Microbiology, Kannur University, Palayad P.O,Thalassery Campus, Kannur, 670661, Kerala, India

    Abdulhameed Sabu

  2. , Dept. of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Kannur University, Palayad P.O, Thalassery Campus, Kannur, 670661, Kerala, India

    Anu Augustine

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Sheshrao, D.U., Gyananath, G. (2012). Seasonal Variation of Spore Density and Root Colonisation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizae in Crop Plants in Relation to Soil Edaphic Factors. In: Sabu, A., Augustine, A. (eds) Prospects in Bioscience: Addressing the Issues. Springer, India. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-0810-5_17

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