Studies On The Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Association In The Plant Species Of Ponnuthu Hills, Western Ghats Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu

Abstract

The present study analyzed the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores in root colonization and spore population in rhizosphere soils samples in various medicinal plant species at Ponnuthu hills, Western Ghats of Coimbatore district, Tamilnadu, India. Root and rhizosphere soil samples were collected during the month
of August, 2018-March, 2019 from the surface to 30 cm depth as well as pH were also recorded. Totally 36 plant species belonging to 21 families were collected and identified. The present result showed arbuscular mycorrhizal spore population in the rhizosphere soil and root colonization of all the plant species. A total of
21 AM fungal spores were recovered from the rhizosphere soil samples in this study region. The Glomus was dominant and found in rhizosphere soil samples in all the medicinal plant species. The maximum spore population was found in the rhizosphere soil samples of Hemidesmus indicus (573/100g of soil) which
belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae and the lowest spore population was observed in the Abutilon indicum 145/100g of soil) which belongs to Malvaceae family. The highest 81% AM fungal colonization was found in roots of Gymnema sylvestre which belongs to the family Apocynaceae. While the lowest 16 % AM fungal
colonization was found in the root of Tridax procumbens which belongs to the family Asteraceae.