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The effect of the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices on disease development caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi in the nonmycorrhizal species Dianthus caryophyllus was studied by co-culture of carnation plants with the mycorrhizal species Tagetes patula. Presence of VAM T. patula plants more than doubled the survival of D. caryophyllus, significantly reduced the disease symptoms, and decreased F. o. dianthi propagules by 4:1 in soil. Non-VAM T. patula plants had no effect. Dianthus caryophyllus shoot biomass was reduced by F. o. dianthi in non-VAM controls but was not affected in presence of G. intraradices. Glomus intraradices alone has no effect on T. patula or D. caryophyllus shoot biomass. Dianthus caryophyllus mineral shoot content was not modified by G. intraradices. In absence of T. patula, G. intraradices did not colonize D. caryophyllus, whereas in its presence, 14–20% of the carnation root length contained abundant vesicles and hypha but very rarely arbuscules. The presence of G. intraradices clearly reduced the disease caused by F. o. dianthi in D. caryophyllus. Reduction in disease severity was associated with reduced F. o. dianthi propagule number in the substrate and was clearly unrelated to plant nutrition. Our results may be explained either by the induction of D. caryophyllus disease resistance mechanisms by the mycorrhizal fungus or by direct or indirect microbial interactions in the soil. Key words: vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae, marigolds, carnation, disease, biocontrol.

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