Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Forest Restoration Area of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Northern Thailand

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungal diversity was surveyed in the forest restoration area of Doi SuthepPui National Park, northern Thailand. Twenty four indigenous tree species, used for forest restoration in a degraded watershed area were examined. Rhizosphere soil samples were collected and AM spores were counted and identified morphologically. AM spores were found in the rhizosphere soils of all tree species. Twenty one AM species were identified: Acaulospora (6 species), Glomus (12 species) and Scutellospora (3 species). AM fungi belonging to the genera Glomus and Acaulospora were dominant. Abundant species present were Acaulospora elegans, Glomus multicaule and Scutellospora pellucida. These results showed that all 24 indigenous tree species were associated with AM fungi and some AM species had a broad host range.