Sunflower response to inoculation with single and mixed species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: Agronomic characteristics

Abstract

The impact of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on agronomic characteristics of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was evaluated in a pot experiment. The indigenous AMF, including Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae, and Glomus viscosum, were isolated from an agricultural field in which cotton and sunflower plants were grown. The most abundant species (G. viscosum) was multiplied in a monospecific culture. Sunflower plants were inoculated with the mixture of three selected AMF species or solely with G. viscosum. The number of leaves, shoot length, head diameter, above ground biomass, and seeds mass were significantly higher in the plant inoculated with AMF mixture followed by individual inoculation with G. viscosum followed by the control. AMF mixture outperformed the G. viscosumby increasing mycorrhizal dependency and mycorrhizal inoculation effect of sunflower. The results indicate that AMF mixture could be considered as a good inoculum for improving growth and yield of sunflower in sustainable agriculture.