分室法研究不同磷况下两种接种丛枝菌根玉米

A modified glass bead compartment cultivation system was used to compare some chemical and biolog-ical properties of the two arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus mosseae and Glomus versiforme usingmaize (Zea mays) as the host plant with four added levels of available phosphorus (P). The proportion of host plant root length infected was determined at harvest. Shoot and root yields and nutrient concentra-tions were determined, together with the nutrient concentrations in the AM fungal external mycelium. Themorphology of various mycorrhizal structures of the two AM fungi was also compared by microscopic obser-vation. Inoculation with G. mosseae gave higher plant yields than that with G. versghrme, and the two fungiresponded differently in infection rate to areilable phosphorus level. Root infection rate of mycorrhizal maizecolonized by G. mosseae decreased markedly with increasing P level, and there was very poor development of the extraradical mpcelium at the highest rate of P addition. In contrast, G. versiforme showed greater tolerance to increasing P level. Elemental analysis showed that phosphorus, copper and zinc concentrations in the external mycelium differed between the two fungi and were much higher than those in the host plant. Differences in the morphology of the two fungi were also observed.     

接种丛枝菌根真菌和巨大芽孢杆菌的红三叶草对难溶磷的利用

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the mobilization of sparingly soluble inorganic andorganic sources of phosphorus (P) by red clover (Trghlium pmtense L.) whose roots were colonized by the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus mosseae and in association with the phosphate-solubilizing (PS) bacterium Bacillus megaterium ACCC10010. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and rock phosphate hada synergistic effect on the colonization of plant roots by the AM fungus. There was a positive interaction between the PS bacterium and the AM fungus in mobilization of rock phosphate, leading to improved plant P nutrition. In dual inoculation with the AM fungus and the PS bacterium, the main contribution to plant P nutrition was made by the AM fungus. Application of P to the low P soil increased phosphatase activityin the rhizosphere. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly promoted by inoculation with either the PS bacterium or the AM fungus.     

间伐和去除凋落物对马尾松林细根生产力和土壤有机碳含量的影响

Soils play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, and can be major source or sink of CO₂ depending upon land use, vegetation type and soil management practices. Fine roots are important component of a forest ecosystem in terms of water and nutrient uptake. In this study the effects of thinning and litter fall removal on fine root production and soil organic carbon content were examined in 20-year-old Masson pine (Pinus resinosa) plantations in Huitong, Hunan Province of China in the growing seasons of 2004 and 2005. The results showed that fine root production was significantly lower in the thinning plots than in the control plots, with a decrease of 58% and 14% in 2004 and 2005 growing seasons, respectively. Litter fall removal significantly increased fine root production by 14% in 2004. Soil temperature (T_soil) and soil moisture (M_soil) were higher in the thinning plots than those in the controls. Litter fall removal had significant effiects on T_soil and M_soil. Soil organic carbon content was higher in the thinning plots but was lower in the plots with litter fall removal compared with that in the controls. Our results also indicated that annual production of fine roots resulted in small carbon accumulation in the upper layers of the soil, and removal of tree by thinning resulted in a significant increase of carbon storage in Masson pine plantations.     

有机肥对磷的吸附-解吸的影响及在红壤发育成的水稻土上的有效性

A field test with the traditional rotation of paddy rice/upland crop (wheat) was carried out on a paddy soil derived from red earth to elucidate the effect of organic manure on the phosphorus adsorption-desorption by soil and its P availability. Soil samples were taken from different treatments at rice harvesting stage and analysed. The isothermal adsorption of P by the samples fitted very well with Langmuir equation, and hence, the parameters in the equation, i.e., maximum adsorption (qm), constant related to bonding energy (k) and their product (k × qm) could be used as a comprehensive index to characterize the potential P adsorptivity of the soil. Organo-inorganic fertilization and organic manuring could decrease qm and k, while mineral P application had little effect on them. The isothermal desorption of P was significantly correlated with initially added and isothermally adsorbed P. Part of P added was fixed, which represented the P fixation capacity of soil, and organic manuring could obviously lower the P fixation. The content of soil available P had a significant negative correlation with qm, k and fixed P. It is concluded that organic manure could increase the P availability of paddy soil derived from red earth by decreasing qm, k, maximum buffering capacity (MBC=k × qm) and fixation capacity.     

电解质对酸性土壤铝的溶解及铝形态在土壤溶液中的分布的影响

KCl, CaCl₂, NH₄Cl, NaCl, K₂SO₄ and KF solutions were used for studying the effects of cations and anions on the dissolution of aluminum and the distribution of aluminum forms respectively. Power of exchanging and releasing aluminum of four kinds of cations was in the decreasing order Ca²⁺ >K⁺ >NH₄⁺ >Na⁺. The dissolution of aluminum increased with the cation concentration. The adsorption affinity of various soils for aluminum was different. The aluminum in the soil with a stronger adsorption affinity was difficult to be exchanged and released by cations. The Al-F complexes were main species of inorganic aluminum at a low concentration of cations, while Al³⁺ became major species of inorganic aluminum at a high concentration of cations. The results on the effect of anions indicated that the concentrations of total aluminum, three kinds of inorganic aluminum (Al³⁺, Al-F and Al-OH complexes) and organic aluminum complexes (Al-OM) when SO₄^2- was added into soil suspension were lower than those when Cl^- was added. The dissolution of aluminum from soils and the distribution of aluminum forms in solution were affected by the adsorption of F^- on the soil. For soils with strong affinity for F^-, the concentrations of the three inorganic aluminum species in soil solution after addition of F^- were lower than those after addition of Cl^-; but for soils with weak affinity for F^-, the concentrations of Al³⁺ and Al-OM were lower and the concentrations of Al-F complexes and total inorganic aluminum after addition of F^- were higher than those after addition of Cl^-. The increase of F^- concentration in soil solution accelerated the dissolution of aluminum from soils.     

三种植被类型植物根系对崇明岛海岸带稳定性的影响

Coastal erosion is currently a major problem along the southern coast of Chongming Island, Shanghai. To enhance the erosion protection ability of coastal shelterbelts, two woody tree species, Taxodium ascendens and Salix babylonica, were planted separately into Phragmites australis + Scirpus mariqueter communities in 2006. Two years later, we investigated whether either of these experiments reduced erosion and increased stability in the native herbaceous plant community. We also examined soil stability and root length density under T. ascendens added, S. babylonica added and native herbaceous vegetation conditions along an intertidal gradient from the soil surface to a depth of 40 cm in each experiment, thus to determine the capacity of T. ascendens and S. babylonica to contribute to shoreline stabilization. Topsoil under the native vegetation had greater stability at the middle and higher intertidal zones because its soil stability index and root length density were significantly higher than in the T. ascendens or S. babylonica planted communities. The effect of T. ascendens on soil stability was not generally better than that of the native vegetation. Only at the 20-30 cm soil depth of the middle intertidal zone and in the 10-20 cm layer of the higher intertidal zone the soil stability index and root length densities under the T. ascendens added condition were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the native vegetation. The S. babylonica planted soil had greater stability in the deeper soil layer than the soil under either the native vegetation or the T. ascendens added condition, and its soil stability index and root length density were significant higher (P < 0.05) than those of other vegetation conditions at the 30-40 cm soil depth for the lower intertidal zone and at the 20-40 cm layer for middle and higher intertidal zones.     

根区限制及氮营养对杂交小麦生长的影响

To study the physiological effects of small root zone, plants of a hybrid wheat variety (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Meiyou 4) were grown in small pots (1 litre) or large pots (8 litre) with low nitrogen (50 mg kg^-1 soil) and high nitrogen (200 mg kg^-1 soil). Restricting root zone decreased dry weight of plants at the stages of stem elongation and flowering, compared to those of control plants grown in the large pots (P<0.01). Spraying of 6-benzylaminopurine (50 μmol L^-1) increased dry weight of plants and chlorophyll concentration in leaves. Restriction of root zone decreased the concentrations of total nitrogen, chlorophyll and soluble protein in the flag leaf and accelerated senescence of the leaves. Supply of high nitrogen delayed senescence of the flag leaf. The results suggested that the shortage of nutrients, especially nitrogen deficiency, was the primary reason for the decreased growth of plant in the treatment of root zone restriction.     

间伐对杉木林土壤CO2通量的影响

Forest management is expected to influence soil CO₂ efflux (FCO₂) as a result of changes in microenvironmental conditions, soil microclimate, and root dynamics. Soil FCO₂ rate was measured during the growing season of 2006 in both thinning and non-thinning locations within stands ranging from 0 to 8 years after the most recent thinning in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations in Huitong Ecosystem Research Station, Hunan, China. Soil temperature and moisture were also measured to examine relationships between FCO₂ and soil properties. Forest thinning resulted in huge changes in FCO₂ that varied with time since cutting. Immediately following harvest (year 0) FCO₂ in thinning area increased by about 30%, declined to 20%-27% below pre-cutting levels during years 4-6, and recovered to pre-cutting levels at 8 years post-cutting. A similar temporal pattern, but with smaller changes, was found in non-thinning locations. The initial increase in FCO₂ could be attributed to a combination of root decay, soil disturbance, and increased soil temperature in gaps, while the subsequent decrease and recovery to the death and gradual regrowth of active roots. Strong effects of soil temperature and soil water content on FCO₂ were found. Forest thinning mainly influenced FCO₂ through changes in tree root respiration, and the net result was a decrease in integrated FCO₂ flux through the entire felling cycle.     

施用碱稳定污泥污水土壤经γ-辐照后土壤溶液中Cu和Zn

Soil samples collected from several acid soils in Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces of the southern China were employed to characterize the chemical species of aluminumions in the soils. The proportion of monomeric inorganic Al to total Al in soil solution was in the range of 19% to 70%, that of monomeric organic Al (Al-OM) to total Al ranged from 7.7% to 69%, and that of the acid-soluble Al to total Al was generally smaller and was lower than 20% in most of the acid soils studied. The Al-OM concentration in soil solution was positively correlated with the content of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and also affected by the concentration of Al³⁺. The complexes of aluminum with fluoride (Al-F) were the predominant forms of inorganic Al, and the proportion of Al-F complexes to total inorganic Al increased with pH. Under strongly acid condition, Al³⁺ was also a major form of inorganic Al, and the proportion of Al³⁺ to total inorganic Al decreased with increasing pH. The proportions of Al-OH and Al-SO₄ complexes to total inorganic Al were small and were not larger than 10% in the most acid soils. The concentration of inorganic Al in solution depended largely on pH and the concentration of total F in soil solution. The concentrat ions of Al-OM, Al³⁺, Al-F and Al-OH complexes in topsoil were higher than those in subsoil and decreased with the increase in soil depth. The chemical species of aluminumions were influenced by pH. The concentrations of Al-OM, Al³⁺, Al-F complexes and Al-OH complexes decreased with the increase in pH.     

玉米秸秆应用和腐化对钙质苏打土改良的影响: 实验室试验研究

A laboratory lysimeter experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of forage corn (Zea mays L.) stalk application on the CO₂ concentration in soil air and calcareous sodic soil reclamation. The experimental treatments tested were soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) levels of 1, 11, and 19, added corn stalk contents of 0 to 36 g kg^-1, and incubation durations of 30 and 60 days. The experimental results indicated that corn stalk application and incubation significantly increased CO₂ partial pressure in soil profile and lowered pH value in soil solution, subsequently increased native CaCO₃ mineral dissolution and electrolyte concentration of soil solution, and finally significantly contributed to reduction on soil sodicity level. The reclamation effciency of calcareous sodic soils increased with the added corn stalk. When corn stalks were added at the rates of 22 and 34 g kg^-1 into the soil with initial ESP of 19, its ESP value was decreased by 56% and 78%, respectively, after incubation of 60 days and the leaching of 6.5 pore volumes (about 48 L of percolation water) with distilled water. Therefore, crop stalk application and incubation could be used as a choice to reclaim moderate calcareous sodic soils or as a supplement of phytoremediation to improve reclamation effciency.     

Contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to utilization of organic sources of phosphorus by red clover in a calcareous soil

A glasshouse pot experiment investigated the uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with red clover of three organic sources of P added to a sterilized calcareous soil of low P availability. Each pot was separated into a central compartment for plant growth and two outer compartments for external mycelium using 30-μm nylon mesh to restrict the roots but allow hyphal penetration. Plants in the central compartments were inoculated with the AM fungus Glomus versiforme and uninoculated controls were included. Plants were harvested on three occasions: 5, 7 and 10 weeks after sowing. Application of each of the three organic P sources (lecithin, RNA and sodium phytate) or inorganic P (KH₂PO₄) at 50 mg P kg⁻¹ to the outer compartments of mycorrhizal and uninoculated pots increased the yield, P concentration and total P uptake of red clover compared with pots to which no P was applied, with no differences among P sources in non-mycorrhizal plants but differences observed in mycorrhizal plants both 7 and 10 weeks after sowing suggesting differences in availability of the four P sources to AM mycelium. The contribution of external mycelium to plant uptake of applied P increased with time. The three organic P sources made smaller contributions to plant P nutrition than KH₂PO₄ at the first and second harvests. At the third harvest, the contribution from KH₂PO₄ was 23%, while those from lecithin, RNA and sodium phytate were 23, 17 and 31%, respectively. This suggests that with the mediation of AM fungi, soil organic P sources can make a contribution to host plant P nutrition comparable to that of soluble orthophosphate.     

Solubilization of Insoluble Inorganic Phosphate by Hyphal Exudates of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Increased phosphate (P) uptake in plants by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is thought to depend mainly on the extension of external hyphae into soil. On the other hand, it is known that the hyphae of some kinds of ectomycorrhizal fungi release organic acids into soil and that they dissolve the insoluble inorganic P. This study collected hyphal exudates of AM fungi within compartmentalized pot culture and clarified their ability to solubilize insoluble inorganic P. Sterilized Andisol was packed in pots that were separated into root and hyphal compartments with a nylon net of 30 μm pore size. Seedlings of Allium cepa inoculated with AM fungi, Gigaspora margarita, or Glomus etunicatum were grown. Control pots were not inoculated. Mullite ceramic tubes were buried in the soil of each compartment and soil solution was collected. The anionic fraction of the soil solution was incubated with iron phosphate (4 mg FePO₄ in 1 mL of 0.4 acetate buffer). Solubilized P was measured. The AM colonization of plants inoculated with G. margarita and G. etunicatum was 86% and 54%, respectively. Adhesion of external hyphae was observed on the surface of the mullite ceramic tubes buried in soil of the hyphal compartment. Colonization of both fungi increased shoot P uptake and growth. Soil solution collected from the hyphal compartments of both fungi solubilized more P than did that from uninoculated plants. It is suggested that hyphal exudates can contribute to increased P uptake of colonized plants.     

丛枝菌根真菌侵染对紫色土水稳性团聚体特征的影响

为了研究接种丛枝菌根真菌对土壤团聚体特征的影响,采用盆栽试验,以白三叶草(Trifolium pratense)为宿主植物,在两不同供磷水平条件下,分别接种丛枝菌根真菌Glomus intraradices和Glomus mosseae,收获后分析土壤团聚体数量、分布和分形维数,并运用通径分析对不同作用因子进行统计。结果表明:与对照相比,接种丛枝菌根真菌显著提高了球囊霉素相关的土壤蛋白含量,土壤水稳性大团聚体数量也显著增加。接种处理提高了土壤的平均重量直径,几何平均直径,而且降低了土壤分形维数。通径分析表明,在影响土壤水稳性大团聚体的众多因子中,菌丝密度具有最大的作用,且以直接作用为主,球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白也表现出较大的作用系数,但以间接作用为主。同时接种的两种菌种表现出对土壤结构改良作用大小的不同,在实际运用中需要考虑到此点。     

丛枝菌根真菌对红三叶草利用不同有机磷源的研究

以红三叶草为材料 ,利用三室隔网培养方法 ,施用不同有机磷源 :植酸钠 (Na -Phytate)、核糖核酸 (RNA)和卵磷脂 (Lecithin) ,研究接种菌根真菌Glmous versiforme对土壤及外加有机磷源的利用效率 ,另设无机磷及不施磷作为对照。结果表明 ,接种菌根真菌能明显增加植株干物重、含磷量和吸磷总量。与各有机磷处理相比 ,无机磷处理前期的生长效应较好 ,施用有机磷各处理在不同生长时期均明显促进了植株生长 ,但不同有机磷源之间没有显著差异。在植株吸磷量上 ,植株生长 7周以前 ,磷酸二氢钾处理高于其它处理 ,而植株生长 10周时 ,植酸钠处理高于磷酸二氢钾处理。接种菌根处理由于丛枝菌根活化了土壤有机磷 ,到植株生长 10周时其吸收有机磷的量已占吸磷总量的 76 .7%。     

Effects of epigeic earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus intraradices) on enzyme activities of a sterilized soil–sand mixture and nutrient uptake by maize

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of epigeic earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Glomus intraradices) on soil enzyme activities and nutrient uptake by maize, which was grown on a mixture of sterilized soil and sand. Maize plants were grown in pots inoculated or not inoculated with AMF, treated or not treated with earthworms. Wheat straw was added as a feed source for earthworms. Mycorrhizal colonization of maize was markedly increased in AM fungi inoculated pots and further increased by addition of epigeic earthworms. AM fungi and epigeic earthworms increased maize shoot and root biomass, respectively. Soil acid phosphatase activity was increased by both earthworms and mycorrhiza, while urease and cellulase activities were only affected by earthworms. Inoculation with AM fungi significantly (p?<?0.001) increased the activity of soil acid phosphatase but decreased soil available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentrations at harvest. Addition of earthworms alone significantly (p?<?0.05) increased soil ammonium-N content, but decreased soil available P and K contents. AM fungi increased maize shoot weight and root P content, while earthworms improved N, P, and K contents in shoots. AM fungi and earthworm interactively increased maize shoot and root biomass through their regulation of soil enzyme activities and on the content of available soil N, P, and K.     

Changes in soil aggregation and glomalin-related soil protein content as affected by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are key organisms of the soil/plant system, influencing soil fertility and plant nutrition, and contributing to soil aggregation and soil structure stability by the combined action of extraradical hyphae and of an insoluble, hydrophobic proteinaceous substance named glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP). Since the GRSP extraction procedures have recently revealed problems related to co-extracting substances, the relationship between GRSP and AM fungi still remains to be verified. In this work the hypothesis that GRSP concentration is positively correlated with the occurrence of AM fungi was tested by using Medicago sativa plants inoculated with different isolates of Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices in a microcosm experiment. Our results show that (i) mycorrhizal establishment produced an increase in GRSP concentration - compared to initial values - in contrast with non-mycorrhizal plants, which did not produce any change; (ii) aggregate stability, evaluated as mean weight diameter (MWD) of macroaggregates of 1-2 mm diameter, was significantly higher in mycorrhizal soils compared to non-mycorrhizal soil; (iii) GRSP concentration and soil aggregate stability were positively correlated with mycorrhizal root volume and weakly correlated with total root volume; (iv) MWD values of soil aggregates were positively correlated with values of total hyphal length and hyphal density of the AM fungi utilized.The different ability of AM fungal isolates to affect GRSP concentration and to form extensive and dense mycelial networks, which may directly affect soil aggregates stability by hyphal enmeshment of soil particles, suggests the possibility of selecting the most efficient isolates to be utilized for soil quality improvement and land restoration programs.     

Fertilizer Concentration Affects Growth Response and Leaf Color of Tradescantia virginiana L.

ABSTRACT

A pot experiment was conducted out to investigate the yield and pungency of spring onion (Allium fistulosum L.) as affected by inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and addition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilizers. Plants were inoculated with either Glomus mosseae or Glomus intraradices or grown as uninoculated controls. Two levels of N and S were applied to the soil in factorial combinations of 50 and 250 mg N kg^?1 soil and 0 and 60 mg S kg^?1 soil. Plants were grown in a greenhouse for 25 weeks and then harvested. Mycorrhizal colonization resulted in increased shoot dry weight, shoot-to-root ratio, shoot length, sheath diameter, and phosphorus (P) concentrations. Shoot dry-matter yield was significantly affected by added N, but not by S. Shoot dry weight increased with increasing N supply (except for non-mycorrhizal controls without additional S fertilizer). Shoot total S concentration (TSC), enzyme-produced pyruvate (EPY), and organic sulfur concentration (OSC) in plants inoculated with Glomus mosseae were significantly lower than those of non-mycorrhizal controls, while these parameters in plants inoculated with Glomus intraradices were comparable to or higher than in the controls. Neither N nor S supply affected shoot EPY or OSC, whereas shoot TSC (except in plants inoculated with Glomus mosseae) and SO₄ ^2? concentrations were usually significantly increased by S supply. In soil of high S and low P availability, mycorrhizal colonization had a profound influence on both the yield and the pungency of spring onion.     

The bacterial community of tomato rhizosphere is modified by inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi but unaffected by soil enrichment with mycorrhizal root exudates or inoculation with Phytophthora nicotianae

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been shown to induce the biocontrol of soilborne diseases, to change the composition of root exudates and to modify the bacterial community structure of the rhizosphere, leading to the formation of the mycorrhizosphere. Tomato plants were grown in a compartmentalized soil system and were either submitted to direct mycorrhizal colonization or to enrichment of the soil with exudates collected from mycorrhizal tomato plants, with the corresponding negative controls. Three weeks after planting, the plants were inoculated or not with the soilborne pathogen Phytophthora nicotianae growing through a membrane from an adjacent infected compartment. At harvest, a PCR-Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments amplified from the total DNA extracted from each plant rhizosphere was performed. Root colonization with the AM fungi Glomus intraradices or Glomus mosseae induced significant changes in the bacterial community structure of tomato rhizosphere, compared to non-mycorrhizal plants, while enrichment with root exudates collected from mycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal plants had no effect. Our results support that the effect of AM fungi on rhizosphere bacteria would not be mediated by compounds present in root exudates of mycorrhizal plants but rather by physical or chemical factors associated with the mycelium, volatiles and/or root surface bound substrates. Moreover, infection of mycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal plants with P. nicotianae did not significantly affect the bacterial community structure suggesting that rhizosphere bacteria would be less sensitive to the pathogen invasion than to mycorrhizal colonization. Of 96 unique sequences detected in the tomato rhizosphere, eight were specific to mycorrhizal fungi, including two Pseudomonas, a Bacillus simplex, an Herbaspirilium and an Acidobacterium. One Verrucomicrobium was common to rhizospheres of mycorrhizal plants and of plants watered with mycorrhizal root exudates.     

Mycorrhizal phosphorus enhancement of plants in undisturbed soil differs from phosphorus uptake stimulation by arbuscular mycorrhizae over non-mycorrhizal controls

Previous greenhouse and field studies have shown arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) plants usually have greater P uptake and growth when raised in undisturbed soil compared to soil disturbed between plantings, such as by tillage. We report here for the first time that AM fungi able to stimulate shoot P uptake in experimental comparisons to non-mycorrhizal plants differ in their ability to bring about similar responses in undisturbed soil compared to disturbed soil. This outcome indicates a difference in functional character between the two stimulation processes. Three isolates of AM fungi were tested for growth promotion of maize (Zea mays L.) in pots in a soil disturbance experiment that included non-mycorrhizal controls. All three fungi colonized roots well and promoted shoot P uptake compared to non-inoculated controls, but only Glomus mosseae was able to stimulate growth in undisturbed soil compared to disturbed soil. This effect was seen when Glomus mosseae was alone or in combination with Gigaspora margarita. However, the presence of Glomus aggregatum in combination with Glomus mosseae prevented any stimulation, presumably due to domination by Glomus aggregatum. The ability of AM fungi to be beneficial to plants in comparison to non-mycorrhizal situations likely relates to the spread of mycelium in the soil and the capacity for nutrient transfer to the root. The ability of an AM fungus to promote growth in undisturbed soil appears to be related to these features and, in addition, a capacity for persistence and retention of functional capacity of the extraradical mycelium from one plant generation to the next.