Quantification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi activity by the glomalin concentration on hyphal traps

 Strips of horticultural film (16–32 cm²) were used to trap extraradical hyphae emanating from roots of sudangrass Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Staph] enclosed in 40-μm mesh bags and colonized by Gigaspora rosea FL 224-1, Glomus intraradices EY 113/114, or Glomus caledonium UK 301-1. Strips of film were placed at opposite sides of 17–21 replicate sand culture pots for each isolate and were removed after 12–14 weeks of plant growth. To extract glomalin, a strip was cut into small pieces and submerged in 2 ml of 20 mM citrate, pH 7.0 and then autoclaved for 60 min. A quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected 0.005–0.04 μg glomalin in the volume of extract tested. The Bradford protein assay detected 1.25–5 μg of protein in the volume of extract tested. Both assays gave results ranging from 5–40 μg glomalin/cm² of film. Protein assay values were correlated with ELISA values (r=0.6091, P≤0.001, n=118). Analysis of variance indicated that isolates differed in Bradford protein values (P=0.001), but not ELISA values (P=0.154). Spatial variability of glomalin deposition ca. 7 cm from roots on opposite sides of pots was indicated by significant paired T tests (P<0.05) for protein values for each of the three isolates and ELISA for two isolates. These results indicate that hyphal traps, Bradford protein assay and ELISA are useful to assess hyphal activity over a growing season. Accepted: 11 October 1998