Growth of creole corn cultivated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi produce symbiosis with most plant species and may affect growth, resistance to drought and reduction in mineral fertilizers, depending on interaction with host plant. Current paper evaluates mycorrhizal colonization and its interaction in the growth of creole corn. Totally randomized experimental design comprised four treatments: control (without mycorrhizal inoculant) and three mycorrhizal arbuscular isolates (UFLA351 - Rhizoglomus clarum, UFLA372 - Claroideoglomus etunicatum and UFLA401 - Acaulospora morrowiae), with three replications. Mycorrhizal colonization of creole corn is arbuscular-vesicular with the use of isolates UFLA351, UFLA372 and UFLA401. High mycorrhizal colonization rate of creole corn does not guarantee increase in biomass, but may affect the emission of inflorescence. Creole corn was responsive to inoculation of isolate UFLA372.