Cultivar difference in mycorrhizal symbiosis in strawberry plants grown by capillary watering method

Abstract

The means of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi [Gigaspora margarita, Glomus fasciculatum, Gl. mosseae, Gl. sp. R10, Gl. aggregatum] were investigated in four strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch, cv. Tochiotome, Toyonoka, Nyoho and Nohime) cultivars in Japan. Twelve weeks after inoculation, growth parameters were measured. Number of leaves, leaf area, number of roots, dry weights of leaves and roots showed significantly greater values in. Glomus fasciculatum plot than, in non-inoculated plot in 'Tochiotome' and 'Toyonoka', in Gl. mosseae plot of 'Nyoho' and 'Nohime'. AM fungal infection occurred in all combinations of strawberry cultivars and AM fungal species, though the infection level differed among the combinations. In this case, Glomus fasciculatum had high affinity with 'Tochiotome' and 'Toyonoka', and Gl. mosseae with 'Nyoho' and 'Nohime'.