Growth effects by arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi on oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) seedlings.

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) infection on the growth of oil palm seedlings are reported in this study. Nursery trials showed that oil palm seedlings treated with Glomus etunicatum soil inocula resulted in 80.36% increased growth response. Oil palm seedlings treated with G. etunicatum in association with Gigaspora rosea, Acaulospora morrowiae and Scutellaspora heterogama, respectively, gave lower to negative growth responses. Oil palm seedlings that showed growth depression, however, had significantly higher root colonizations than the non-AMF plants. This study concludes that G. etunicatum thrives better as a single inoculant, and successfully increases the vegetative growth of oil palm seedlings.