Impact of phosphorus amendments on colonization and spore population of Glomus bagyarajii (AM fungi) in chickpea

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) have been found associated with a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural plants. AM fungi are known to be ubiquitous in soils throught out the world. It forms mycorrhiza in most plant species, families and orders than all the other types of mycorrhizal combinations. Among three levels of Phosphorus; 0, 40 and 80 mg P/kg of soil, the maximum colonization and spore population of Glomus bagyarajii was observed at 40 mg P/kg soil. It was observed as 53.4, 61.7, 73.9 and 87.8 per cent in 30, 60, 90 and 120 days old chickpea plants at 40 mg ‘P’ kg soil, respectively. There were, 470.8, 658.3, 800.0 and 954.1 spores per 100 g soil after 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of observations at 40 mg ‘P’/kg soil levels, respectively. ‘P’ application upto 80 mg ‘P’/kg soil did not inhibit G. bagyarajii colonization in chickpea roots suggesting the possibility of tolerance of mycorrhizal fungi to high ‘P’ level in soil as well as in plant tissue.