Influence of Organic Phosphorus as Sodium Phytate on Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Development

For demonstration of influence of sodium phytate on vesicular arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal growth and development, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown for 50 days in two heat sterilized low phosphorus(P) soils supplied with organic Pas Na-phytate and inorganic P as Ca(H₂PO₄)2 under axenic conditions. The pots were separated by 30 μm nylon nets and a 0.45 μm membrane into five compartments, a central one for root growth, two adjacent to the central compartment for hyphal growth and two outer ones for control. At least 33 per cent increase in hyphal length density and 21 per cent increase in spore number was noticed when P was supplied as Na-phytate. Glomus mosseae seems to be more positively affected than Glomus manihotis. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that VA mycorrhizal growth and development is influenced in the presence of organic P as Na-phytate.