ISSN - 0972-0847

Columban J. Life Sci.

Vol. 12

No. 1 & 2

122-123

2011

DIVERSITY OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN ZEA MAYS L.

Nita Supriya Massey and E.N. Siddiqui
Department of Botany, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag - 825 301, Jharkhand, India Email: enamsiddiqui@yahoo.com

Received 24 March 2011, Accepted 19 September 2011 ABSTRACT

A study of diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in root of important food plant Zea mays L. commonly known as Makka was conducted in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, India. Microscopic analysis of roots revealed AMF spores, belonging to class Zygomycetes and order Glomales, representing Glomaceae family and Genus Glomus. The species recorded are G. mosseae and G. aggregatum. Average number of spores per 10 gram was 8, average percent root colonization recorded was 82. The spores may be preserved and can be utilized in the field of agriculture.

Key words: AMF, root colonization, Zea mays. INTRODUCTION Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are the most widespread and important symbionts, forming a mutualistic symbiotic association with roots of vascular plants. The role of AM fungi in the field of agriculture is great, as plant growth promoters and increasing the phosphate uptake in the plants. Even in stress condition these fungi increases the activity of roots and provide better endurance to plant nutrition and growth in Zea mays (sylvia et al., 1993). Subramaniam and Charest (1995, 1997) suggested that AM fungi confer drought tolerance in maize through direct AM water uptake.Therefore, it appears essential to record the diversity of AMF in Maize plant so that their beneficial potential may be used for the plantation program. In India and abroad numerous workers have worked in this field like Abbott and Robson (1984), Rashmi and Roy (2003), Wang and Qiu (2006) but in Hazaribag very few work Massey & Siddiqui (2010) has been done to know the biodiversity of AMF. Maize is one of the most important food plants. The endosperm of its grains are used as food for human. The grain is eaten in boiled and roasted form. The dried leaves and stems are used as fodder for the cattle. MATERIAL AND METHODS Study area Hazaribag (23.980 N latitude, 85.350 E longitude, altitude 604 m/1982 ft.) is in Jharkhand State in India.
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60% of the people depend upon agriculture. The soil is red loamy. Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) contents are low to medium. The soil is acidic to neutral (pH 5.6 to 6.5). Sample Collection Soil and feeder root samples were collected from the fields of Korrah area. Rhizosphere soil 10-15 cm deep was dug around three month old plants. Soil and root samples were tagged in polythene bags and taken to laboratory for analysis. Screening of soil sample was done by wet sieving and decantation method (Gerdemann and Nicolson, 1963). Population of spores per 10 g soil was determined. Phillip and Hayman (1970) method was followed for determining percent root colonization. In this method root samples were washed and cut in 1 cm size, cleared with KOH (10%), bleached in alkaline peroxide to soften hard tissues and stained in trypan blue (0.05%) and mounted in lactophenol to view under compound microscope. RESULT AND DISCUSSION A detailed analysis showed the presence of spores of genus Glomus. Two distinct species were observed and identified on the basis of Schenck andPerez (1988) Manual. The two species of Glomus are: 1. Glomus mosseae 2. Glomus aggregatum

DIVERSITY OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN ZEA MAYS L.

Table 1: Showing average spore population and percent root colonization in Zea mays.
Name of the plant Zea mays (Data represents average of three samples.) Average no. of spores per 10 g soil 8 % root colonization 82

mycorhizal inoculation during and after drought stress at tasselling Mycorrhiza. 7: 25-32. Sylvia, D.E., Hammond. L.C., Bennet, J.M. Hass, J.H. Linda S.B. (1993): Field response of maize to a VAM fungus and water management. Agron. J. 85: 193-198. Wang, B., Qiu, Y.L. (2006): Phylogenetic distribution and evolution of mycorrhizas in land plants, Mycorrhiza. 16: 299-363

Our observations show relative high percentage of root colonization that means positive root segments are more in number. In conclusion, Zea mays show mycorrhizal association. Glomus was the genus found associated which confirms findings of Mosse et al., (1981) that AM fungi geographically occur in all kind of habitats. Therefore, the potential of AMF can be used for the better growth and yield of plants by using them in nursery plant production programs. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to thank Professor and Head, Department of Botany, Vinoba Bhave University and TM Bhagalpur University for providing laboratory facilities. REFERENCES
Abbott, L.K. and Robson, A.D. (1984): The effect of mycorrhizae on plant growth. In Mycorrhiza (eds. Powell, C.L. and Bagyaraj, D.J.). Boca Raton, Florida: CRC press, pp 113-130. Gerdemann, J.W. and Nicolson, T.H. (1963): Spores of Mycorrhizal Endogone species extracted from soil by wet Sieving and decanting technique. Transactions of British Mycological Society, 46: 235-243. Massey, N.S. and Siddique, E.N. (2010): Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi in Catharanthus roseus (G.) Don.Columban Journal of Life Science 11(1&2);113-115. Mosse, B., Tacon, D.P., Le. F. (1981): Ecology of mycorrhizal fungi, in Alexander M (Ed) Advances in microbiol ecology Vol. 5, Plenum Press, New York and London, pp. 250. Phillips, J.M., Hayman, D.S. (1970): Improved procedure for clearing roots and staining parasites and Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi for rapid assessment of infection. Transactions of The British Mycological Society, 55 : 158 - 160. Rashmi and Roy, A.K. (2003): Effect of VAM-fungi and Azospirillam brasilense on Growth performance of Finger millet. J. Mycol Pl. Pathol. 33: pp 403-405. Schenck, N.C. and Perez. Y. (1988): Manual of the identification of VA mycorrhizal fungi, University of florida, Gainesville GL, pp. 244. Subramanian, K.S., Charest, C. (1995): Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizae on the metabolism of maize under drought stress. Mycorrhiza. 5 : 273-278. Subramanian, K.S., Charest, C. (1997): Nutritional, growth and reproductive responses of maize to arbuscular

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