Interactive effects of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobial strains on chickpea growth and nutrient content in plant

Abstract

Legumes form a tripartite symbiosis with Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and rhizobia. Chickpea plants were inoculated with six strains of Mesorhizobium ciceri and three AMF species, Glomus intraradices (GI), G. mosseae (GM) and G. etunicatum (GE). The plants inoculated with a number of AMF species and bacterial strains increased overall plant dry mass compared to non-inoculated plants. GE was the most efficient in increasing plant dry matter. Individual AMF species were more effective than when mixed (GI+GM+GE). Bacterial treatments had increasing effect on root colonization by GI, GM and GI+GM+GE. The results revealed that dual inoculation with AMF and rhizobium enhanced nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc, iron and copper content in plants but these increasing effects was different between fungal and bacterial treatments.

Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Mesorhizobium ciceri, nutrient content, root colonization, nodule, chickpea.