The effect of non-soil substrates on growth and mycorrhizal colonization indices in clover and sorghum plants

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz- Iran

2 Department of Soil Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz

10.22034/saps.2025.68101.3383

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Considering the importance of substrate for host plant culture in production of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi inoculum, in this study, non-soil substrates in terms of their accessible, lower weight, inexpensive, appropriate physical and chemical properties with no pathogenic contamination were evaluated to select suitable pot substrate for host plant growth and fungal inoculum production.
Materials & Methods: In a pot culture experiment, clover and sorghum as host plants, were inoculated with the AM fungus Diversispora versiformis and grown in greenhouse conditions for four months with seven types of sterile substrate combinations. Pot substrates were: sandy loam soil (SL), and combinations with 1:4 (v/v) compost:perlite (CO:P), compost:vermiculite (CO:VL), vermicompost:perlite (VC:P), vermicompost:vermiculite (VC:VL), sandy loam:perlite (SL:P), and sandy loam:vermiculite (SL:VL). The experiment was conducted in a split plot format based on a completely randomized design with three replications.
Results: The highest shoot and dry weights of both host plants were recorded in VC:VL and VC:P substrates. Nutrients concentration in both plants were higher in vermicompost than compost based substrates. The highest root length colonization, the frequency of vesicles and hyphae in roots and the number of spores in substrate as efficient indices of fungal inoculum potential were obtained in compost based substrates (CO:P ,CO:VL) for both host plants. These indices were relatively lower in vermicomposr based substrates.

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Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 April 2027

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