EFFECTS OF (VAM) VESICULAR ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAE ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OFMENTHA LONGIFOLIA L. AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF ROCK PHOSPHATE AMENDMENTS
Abstract
An effort was made to investigate the effects of VAM (Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae) on the growth performance of Mentha longifolia L.at various levels of rock phosphate.Various levels of rock phosphate were applied in combinations with VAM or without VAMsuchasRP0 (Without Phosphate) RP1 (0.05 g), RP2 (0.105 g) and RP3 (0.157 g).Rhizospheric soil from Agave plant with large number of spores of differentVAM fungii.e.Glomus fasciculatum,Glomus mosseae and Acaulos poramellae were applied. Inoculum was used as soil based inoculum. The study revealed significant differences<0.05>among treatments and non-significant differences among replications regarding to the plant shoot length, length of roots, numbers of leaves, fresh and dry weight at different levels of the rock phosphate amendments in mycorrhizal plant species. The best shoot length, fresh weight, dry weight and leaves number in terms of the mean were recorded in MRP3 and MRP2 while the highest root length in terms of mean was recorded in MRP1 and MRP3.At various levels of the rock phosphate the overall performance of mycorrhizal groups was better than non- mycorrhizal groups.
