Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Growth and Development of Zea Mays L.

In the present study, effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on seed germination, nutrient uptake, plant growth, root colonization and chlorophyll content of the Zea mays L. was evaluated. The soil samples collected from maize field (Morgaon, Pune, Maharashtra) were used for the isolation of AMF spores by using wet sieving and decanting method. The International Culture Collection of (Vesicular) Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM) worksheet was used for diagnosing the spores. The completely randomized design with three replicates was used for pot culture experiment. The chlorophyll (a, b and total chlorophyll) content from the leaves of the maize plant was successfully determined by Arnon method. Three AMF spores (Gigaspora sp., Acoulospora sp. and Glomus mosseae) were identified and selected for further study. The application of AMF inoculum significantly increases the overall seed germination percent in saline soil (50% and 25% in nonsterile and sterile saline soil) and root and shoot length (13.68 cm and 10.02 cm increase in nonsterile normal soil while 8.93 cm and 11cm increase in nonsterile saline soil) when compared with control. Highest increase in pigment was found in sterile soil inoculated with AMF [chlorophyll a (47.80%), b (47.76) and total chlorophyll (45.56%)]. In root colonization study, different typical AMF structures (such as vesicles, spores, intra and extra radical hyphae) inside the roots of the maize plant were evaluated by microscopic observations. Finally, the nutrient profiling of the soils from all pots showed increased N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn when compared with control.