Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophyte colonization in bamboo from Northeast India

Abstract

To address paucity of the mycorrhizal studies in bamboo, we have investigated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) distribution and dark septate endophyte (DSE) colonization on four species of bamboo from Northeast India. Bambusa tulda exhibits Arum type of AMF morphology, and other bamboo species have Paris type. AMF colonization was significantly higher than DSE colonization (P<0.05). Vesicular and DSE colonization exhibit a significant positive correlation with organic carbon and available phosphorus, respectively (P<0.05). Of 17 species isolated from Acaulospora, Ambispora and Glomus, 12 were isolated from Phyllostachys manii. Acaulospora tuberculata, A. rehmii, Glomus intraradices and G. tortuosum were the most frequently distributed species. Shannon diversity index was the highest in P. manii. Principal component analysis (PCA) plots and cluster analysis suggest that P. manii was the most dissimilar bamboo species in terms of mycorrhizal colonization and soil properties.

Keywords

arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi / dark septate endophyte / bamboo / Northeast India