Effect of Inoculation of Nursery Root Media With Endomycorrhizal Fungi on Growth of Viburnum, Japanese Maple and Boxwood.

Abstract

<jats:p>Nursery liners of Viburnum carlesii, Hemsl; Acer palmatum, Thunb., cv. 'Bloodgood'; and Buxus sempervirens L., cv. 'Vardar Valley' were planted in several root media at three P levels which had been inoculated or not inoculated with species of endomycorrhizal fungi. Analysis of extent of root infection (Trypan Blue staining procedure) revealed no root infection or colonization of any of the three species in any root medium. However, maples grown in an inoculated peat:sand (1:1, v/v) medium at .024 g P/liter grew taller than maples in the same non-inoculated medium at .24, .024, or .0024 g P/liter of medium. Mean height of maples in inoculated media were greater than heights of maples in non-inoculated media when height data from all three P levels in each medium were combined. Infection of Sorghum Sudanese, (Piper) Stapf, root: was inhibited when media was amended with composted or noncomposted pine bark but was not inhibited by pine bark leachates.</jats:p>