Abstract

Three plant species viz. lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), onion (Allium cepa) and Sesbania aculeatawere examined for mass production of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus mosseae. The influence of soil, sand, soil- farmyard manure, soil-vermicompost and soil-organic manure on G. mosseae were also examined. Percentage root colonization and number of VAM spores were analyzed. The pot culture experiment was carried out under polyhouse conditions and observations were recorded every 30 days up to 120 days of plant growth. Onion raised in farmyard manure amended substrate had maximum mycorrhizal root colonization (100%). Spore numbers (111 ± 0.81) were maximum in lemon grass grown in organic manure amended substrate. Two way ANOVA revealed that the growth period (days) was a more significant factor than substrates influencing both spore count and root colonization.

Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, mass production, hosts, substrates, inoculum, G. mosseae.