Incidence of AM Fungi in Bamboo Species from Wadali, Amravati (M.S.), India

Abstract

The bamboos are evergreen perennial flowering plants in the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. They are of notable economic and cultural significance in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, being used for building materials, as a food source, and as a versatile raw product. It is an extremely versatile material with countless uses including construction, clothes, food and fuel. Due to its multiple utility and accessibility to common man, it is also known as green gold. There is a need to take efforts for making bamboo a supplementary business for agriculture along with its conservation and nurturing. Bamboo business also will prove financially beneficial for the farmers. The diversified collection of Bamboo plants from different parts of the country is well maintained at Wadali Forest Garden at Amravati. The main motive behind the plantation is to empower the farmer. The farmer who grows oranges and soybeans requires good species of bamboo. They are encouraged to grow bamboo species without having them to purchase it from outside, the bamboo plants are sold to them on the basis of species. Among the microbial communities Mycorrhizae forms symbiotic associations with the roots of most plant species. This symbiosis, that exists in between plant root and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) is of great use and interest to ecologist due to potential influence of it on natural ecosystem processes. As we have the great source of Bamboos in Amravati, it was utilized for the present research work particularly in the field of Mycorrhizal Biotechnology. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the AMF association with three bamboo species i.e. B. balcooa, B. vulgaris, B. tulda. All the Bambusa species studied exhibited AM fungal association. The root association characterized by the presence of hyphal, arbuscule and vesicles typical of AM fungi were seen. The results indicated that the Bambusa balcooa Roxb. exhibited maximum %   root colonization. The total number of spores per 100 g of all samples of rhizospere soils found in the range of 60 to 150 (Bambusa balcooa), 46 to 56 (B. vulgaris) and 40 to 80 (Bambusa tulda). Glomus tortuosum Schenk and Smith was found to be highly associated with all the three species of Bomboos. The trap culture is maintained to develop monoculture of viable spores. For sustainable development these native most dominant and some more species of AMF can be taken into account in near future as biofertilizers for Bamboos after their mass multiplication.

Key words: Bamboo, Glomus tortuosum, soil trap culture, Wadali.