Studies on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) profiles of coastal soils in Karaikal district, U.T of Puducherry, India
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Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal type of symbiosis is found in vast taxonomic range of both herbaceous and woody plants that are found in diverse habitats ranging from arctic to the tropics, arid to aquatic environments and stable plant communities to highly disturbed ecosystems. However the AM fungal community and AM colonization of plant roots may vary greatly in different soil types. The AM fungi differ widely in the level of colonization in the root system and in their impact on nutrient uptake and plant growth. Soil salinity is a problem of grave concern because it adversely affects growth and development of plants especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Mycorrhizal plants are of great interest in bioremediation since the management of mycorrhizal systems is necessary for the success of saline soil reclamation programs. In this study, coastal soils of Karaikal district, U.T of Puducherry was selected as a study area. The present work was investigated the AM mycorrhizal status in coastal soils of Karaikal District. A total of 21 species of vascular plants screened for mycorrhizal colonization, among them, 13 plants are mycorrhizal dependent. Ten species of AM mycorrhizal fungal species were recorded in the rhizosphere soils based on seasonal field surveys. Climatic seasons are strongly influence the percentage of colonization and AM spore population in the present study. Physio-chemical analyses of rhizosphere soils showed that all the study sites had alkaline, high Electrical Conductivity and ESP levels. Among the AM mycorrhizal genus, Glomus and Scutellospora populations were dominant in this ecosystem. The potential adaptation of this dominant indigenous AM fungi and their ability to colonize saline tolerant plant communities in the coastal regions indicate that mycorrhizal biofertilizers will help to remediate the coastal soils with suitable host plants.
Keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Coastal soils, Karaikal District, Biofertilizers.