Use of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza and Organic Amendments to Enhance Growth of Macaranga peltata (Roxb.) Müll. Arg. in Iron Ore Mine Wastelands.

Macaranga peltata (Roxb.) Mull. Arg. is a disturbance tolerant plant species with potential in mine wasteland reclamation. Our study aims at studying the phyto-extraction potential of M. peltata and determining plant-soil interaction factors effecting plant growth in iron ore mine spoils. Plants were grown in pure mine spoil and spoil amended with Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Vermicompost (VC) along with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) species Rhizophagus irregularis. Pure and amended mine spoils were evaluated for nutrient status. Plant growth parameters and foliar nutrient contents were determined at the end of one year. FYM amendment in spoil significantly increased plant biomass compared to pure mine spoil and VC amended spoil. Foliar Fe accumulation was recorded highest (594.67 µg/g) in pure spoil with no mortality but considerably affecting plant growth, thus proving to exhibit phyto-extraction potential. FYM and VC amendments reduced AM colonization (30.4% and 37% resp.) and plants showed a negative mycorrhizal dependency (-30.35 and -39.83 resp.). Soil pH and P levels and, foliar Fe accumulation are major factors determining plant growth in spoil. FYM amendment was found to be superior to VC as a spoil amendment for hastening plant growth and establishment in iron ore mine spoil.

Symbiotic interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and male papaya plants: its status, role and implications.

Experiments were conducted to study the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) status and its role in P-uptake through assay of root phosphatases activities in four varieties of male Carica papaya L. viz. CO-1, CO-2, Honey Dew and Washington during flowering stages. In the present study, mean total root colonization of AM fungi recorded peak increase in flowering stage-II while mean root phosphatase (acid and alkaline) activities recorded peak increase in flowering stage-I. Unlike root colonization and root phosphatase activities, spore density did not exhibit any definite patterns and recorded a narrow range of fluctuation during different flowering stages of male C. papaya. The study brought out the fact that root colonization and spore density of AM fungi along with root phosphatase activities varied significantly within the four varieties of male C. papaya plants during each flowering stage. The study also recorded consistently higher acid root phosphatase activity than alkaline root phosphatase activity under P-deficient, acidic soil conditions during all flowering stages of male C. papaya plants. Studies revealed that the root colonization of AM fungi influenced root phosphatase activities (acid and alkaline) positively and significantly during all flowering stages of male C. papaya plants. A total of twelve species of AM fungi belonging to five genera viz. Acaulospora, Dentiscutata, Gigaspora, Glomus, and Racocetra were recovered from the rhizosphere of male C. papaya plants.