Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promotes the growth of Kageneckia lanceolata (Rosaceae) seedlings.

Abstract

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promotes the growth of Kageneckia lanceolata (Rosaceae) seedlings. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) increase the survival and biomass production of host plants and improve nutrient absorption. AMF are very important in the restoration of degraded soils and in the growth of vegetation in nursery and field conditions. In order to restore populations of Kageneckia lanceolata, species considered vulnerable by the World Conservation Monitoring Center, it was proposed to evaluate the effect of inoculation with AMF on the growth, radical colonization and nutritional content in this species. We performed a greenhouse experiment to test the hypothesis that inoculation with AMF promotes the growth and nutrition of K. lanceolata. The inoculum used was natural soil coming from the rhizosphere of a forest with K. lanceolata. After 6 months, plants inoculated with AMF showed twice more aerial biomass and three more phosphorus than non-inoculated seedlings. This is the first study that shows the positive effect of AMF on growth and mineral nutrition of K. lanceolata.