Mycorrhizal status of Lycium europaeum in the coastal dunes of Mehdia (Northwest of Morocco)

Abstract

Objective: This study describes the mycorrhizal status of Lycium europaeum in the mobile and fixed dunes in the coastal area of Mehdia (Northwest of Morocco).
Methodology and results: Evaluation of the mycorrhization level in the roots was effected and the identification of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was based on the morphological characters of the isolated spores from soil and root samples collected from the rhizosphere of Lycium europaeum developing in the bright and fixed dunes of Mehdia coastal dunes. Different structures of the arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi and the endophytes were present in the roots of L. europaeum. 100% of the roots were mycorrhized in both sites with an intensity of 18.4% in the fixed dunes and 10.43% in the mobile dunes. The arbuscular and the vesicular contents were respectively 6.2 - 1.2 % and 11.83 - 3.96 % in mobile and fixed dunes. Spores number was 75 (mobile dunes) and 50 spores/100 g of soil (fixed dunes). 29 species of the mycorrhizal fungi were isolated, divided into seven genuses (Gigaspora, Acaulospora, Diversipora, Entrophospora, Scutellospora, Paraglomus and Glomus). The genus Glomus alone was represented by 20 species. The two sites of the studied dunes have only two common species: Glomus claroideum and Scutellospora nigra.
Conclusion and application of results: Lycium europaeum, mycotrophic species, may be a good candidate to fix the mobile dunes and to protect the reserve of Sidi Boughaba threatened by the progress of sand. Mycorrhization probably facilitates the installation of this species, suspected rare in Morocco, which grows well in the mobile dunes.

Keywords: Morocco, coastal dunes, Lycium europaeum, mycorrhizal status, arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi.