Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in trap cultures prepared from abandoned coalmine overburden spoils

Abstract

Assessment of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) diversity in fragile ecosystem and polluted environment is important since they play an important role in the establishment of vegetation and initiation of nutrient cycling for the development of self-sustaining ecosystem. In our present study we assessed the AMF diversity in coal mine abandoned overburden spoils of different age groups viz. 2 years, 10 years and 15 years abandoned site and an un-mined site, through trap culture using Oryza sativa L. and Zea mays L. as host plants. Spore density increases with the increase in age of overburden spoils. Five genera of AMF were isolated v.i.z. Acaulospora, Claroideoglomus, Funneliformis, Glomus and Rhizophagus, where, Acaulospora and Glomus were dominant. In both the trap plants un-mined site derived inoculum showed highest Shannon-Wiener Diversity index and Pielou's Evenness Index value whereas 2 years abandoned site derived inoculum showed lowest diversity index. In case of Simpson's dominance index, 10 years abandoned site derived inoculum has the highest value in Z. mays and 2 years abandoned site derived inoculum has the highest value in O. sativa trap culture respectively. Comparing the two trap plants, O. sativa showed higher colonization percentage, spore density and diversity index indicating that it has a capability to develop maximum interaction with study site derived inoculum. The dominant AMF species can further be utilized in studies for reclamation of abandoned coal mine overburden spoils.