Effects of culture substrates on development of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Four different culture substrates(mixing sand, fine sand, zeolite, mixture of sand and soil) on the growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae were studied. The results showed that different substrates with different physical and chemical properties influence the development of Glomus mosseae. On the basis of the length of colonized roots, length of external hyphae and spore numbers, the mixture of sand and soil(v/v 3∶1) achieved the greatest mycorrhizal development among the four culture substrates tested in association with G. mosseae. The length of colonized roots and the concentration of soluble sugar in roots were significantly and positively correlated with spore numbers in substrate. The concentration of P in host plant had the same relationship with the spore numbers. The results suggest that many factors of culture substrate such as nutrient, humidity, air capacity of soils and so on influence the establishment and development of host plant-fungi combinations. The length of colonized roots, the concentration of soluble sugar in roots and the concentration of P in host plant have great influence on the mycorrhizal development.