VA MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH SOME PULSES FROM PUNE DISTRICT

A survey of VA Mycorrhizal fungi in the root zone of some pulses was carried out . The pulses selected for VAM survey were Cow Pea (Vigna anguiculata L.) , green gram ( Vigna radiates L. ), black gram ( Vigna mungo L.) and Chick pea ( Cicer arietinum L.). Random soil samples and roots were collected after every 30 days and VA Mycorrhizal spores isolated . The spores were identified up to species level based on the revised synoptic key by Berch and Trappe(1989). This study reports the extent of root colonization and the density and distribution of VAM spores in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil. All the pulses examined invariably showed a high percentage (55% - 80%) of root colonization .Species of Acaulospora , Glomus , Gigaspora, Sclerocystis and scutilospora were isolated. The spore density ranged from 30 – 90 spores /25 g soil. The intensity of root colonization and spore density varied not only from genus to genus with in a family but also for the same plant species at different sites. Comparative studies of VAM associated with different pulses from different localities showed that, there were a several species which were common in the rhizosphere of a few plants indicating that they were not host specific.