OCCURRENCE AND MORPHOLOGY OF ENDORHIZAL FUNGI IN CROP SPECIES

We surveyed 45 crop species in 39 genera of 21 families to explore the incidence and morphology of endorhizal fungal associations in roots. The survey indicated that 42 of the 45 crop species examined were associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. In addition, 20 of the mycorrhizal crop species were also associated with dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungi. Twenty crops had Arum-type and 22 had intermediate type AM morphologies. AM morphology has been described for the first time in 27 crop species. Three crop species lacked AM fungal association. Myristica fragrans though lacking AM association had DSE fungal association. The extent of colonization in roots ranged from 41% to 97% for AM an