Influence of Host Planting Density on Sporulation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

The relationship between host planting density and sporulation of arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM) fungi was investigated.Acaulospora longula were inoculated into bahia grass pots with 1,5 or 10 plants.After 4 months growth,the AM colonization were much higher in pots with 1 plant than that in pots with 5 or 10 plants,but no difference in the vesicle percentage and arbuscle percentage was observed.Although the shoot biomass didn't vary between 3 planting densities,the root biomass and spore density decreased with the increasing of planting density.Correlation analysis revealed a close relationship between root biomass and spore density.The result suggests that high planting density probably reduces the carbohydrate partitioned to the roots,and further retards the sporulation.