Effects of pre- and post-transplant inoculation with commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on pelargonium (Pelargonium hortorum) and its microorganism community

Rooted cuttings of geranium were grown with and without a slow release fertilizer and inoculated or not with a commercial inoculum containing AM fungi. After six weeks plants were transplanted into larger containers and one-half of the plants were inoculated with AM. Inoculation increased pelargonium growth along with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium concentrations in shoot than caused a slight decrease in shoot growth and enhanced N concentration. Colony forming units of total fungi and bacteria in the rhizosphere were not influenced by AM; although RFLP profiles of DNA isolated from bacteria living in rhizosphere showed a more diverse community in AM-inoculated than non-inoculated plants at low nutrient supply. Our results suggest that mycorrhizal inoculation not only has an effect on plant growth and uptake of elements but it also influences directly or indirectly the bacterial community of the rhizosphere.