STUDIES ON THE ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGAL BIODIVERSITY IN THE PLANT SPECIES OF KONDRANGHI HILLS, DINDUGUL DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

The present study to investigated that the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal root colonization and spore population in some medicinal at Kondrangi hills Eastern Ghats of Dindugul district, Tamilnadu, India. Root and rhizosphere soil samples were collected during the month of August, 2017-March, 2018 from the surfaceto 30 cm depth as well as pH were also recorded. Totally 32 plant species belonging to 21 families and 30 genera were identified. The present result showed arbuscular mycorrhizal spore population in the rhizosphere soil and root colonization of all the plant species. A total of 20 AM fungal species belonging to 7genera and 2 different orders were recorded from the rhizosphere soil samples of this study region. The Glomus was dominant had seen in rhizosphere soil samples in all the medicinal plant species. The maximum spore population was found in the rhizosphere soil samples of Phyllanthus amarus (440 /100 g soil) which belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and the lowest spore population was observed in the Tephrosia purpurea (110 /100g soil) belongs to Fabaceae. family. The highest 87% AM fungal infection was found in roots of Plumbago zeylanica belongs to the family Plumbaginaceae. While the lowest 24% AM fungal association was found in the root of Striga angustifolia belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae.