Diversity of AM (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal) fungi in two geographically and ecologically different states of India

microbiology

Newly created phylum Glomeromycota includes arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which symbiotically associate with plant roots and benefit the plant nutrition, growth and survival, due to their greater exploitation of soil for nutrients. These associations represent a key factor in the below ground dynamics which influence species diversity and plant community structure. Knowledge of AM fungal diversity in any geographical region is of prime importance in understanding ecosystems functioning and forms the basis in many conservation priority approaches. The main objective of the present study was to estimate AMF diversity in terms of abundance, species richness and evenness in 54 samples from 6 different sites falling in forests of Delhi ridge area and Himachal region. The AM fungal spore count, species richness, most frequent species, and intra-radical colonization were studied in various samples drawn from these regions. The spores were quantified and characterized after the first trap culture cycle. Single spore cultures could only be raised for five of the isolated species and the identification based on morphological characters was confirmed with signature molecular sequences for these species. Various parameters used for diversity estimation and statistical calculations included Margalef’s species richness index, Shannon Weiner Index, AMF Abundance, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), done with software SPSS 17, means were separated using DMRT (Duncan’s Multiple range test) at 5% and significance (LSD, p= 0.05). In the Himachal and Delhi region at least 21 species of AMF are reported to be occurring belonging to seven genera and several of them remains unidentified because they did not propagate in single spore culture or isolating genome DNA from them was difficult from their single spore. The genus Glomus occurred most frequently and Glomus macrocarpum and Funneliformis mosseae were the most commonly occurring species.

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