A Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus, Acaulospora scrobiculata Stimulated Growth of Mongolian Crested Wheatgrass ( Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.)

Abstract

Agr opyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. (crested wheatgrass) is an endemic plant species, which dominates most area of the Mongolian steppe and forest steppe. In the present study, spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizosphere soil of crested wheatgrass were isolated with wet- sieving/decanting methods, and the major species was identifi ed as Acaulospora scrobiculata Trappe. For arbuscular-mycorrhizal resynthesis, the spores of A. scrobiculata were propagated with corn pot-culture technique and inoculated onto the roots of crested wheatgrass seedlings. The inoculated crested wheatgrass seedlings exhibited vigor in growth, and examination of the root structure revealed the occurrence of arbuscules and vesicles in the cortical cells. These results demonstrated that A. scrobiculata could effectively form arbuscular mycorrhizas with crested wheatgrass and promote its growth, which can be used to restore Mongolian grassland.

Keywords

• Acaulospora scrobiculata
• Agropyron cristatum
• arbuscular mycorrhizas
• biomass
• crested wheatgrass
• growth
• mineral