Journal of Environmental Biology

Effects of vesicular - arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi on the seedling growth of three Pistacia species

 

S. Caglar¹ and A. Akgun²

¹Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kahramanmaraş S?t?? İmam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

²Pistachio Research Institute, Gaziantep, Turkey

 

?(Received: 7 December, 2004 ; Accepted: 17 May, 2005)

 

 

Abstract: The experiment was undertaken to test the efficiency of inoculation of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi on the seedling growth of three Pistacia species used as rootstocks. The stratified Pistacia seeds were inoculated with VAM fungi. The highest rate of inoculated roots was? 96.7 %? in P. khinjuck seedlings with G. clarum and G. etunicatum,? 83.3 % in P. vera seedlings with G. caledonium and 73.3 %? in P. terebinthus seedlings with G. caledonium. Mycorrhizal inoculations improved seedling height only in P. terebinthus. Certain mycorrhizal inoculations increased the leaf N, but not P and K contents. Seedlings inoculated with G. caledonium had higher reducing sugar contents. It was concluded that pre-inoculated Pistacia seedlings could have a better growth in the harsh field conditions.

 

Key words: VAM fungi, Mycorrhiza, Pistacia, Growth, Nutritional status.

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