The arbuscular mycorrhizal status of poplar clones selected for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals

The aim of this work was to study the colonization of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species in fine-roots of poplar clones. Roots of 7 poplar clones were sampled from a 1-year-old trial established at an industrial site strongly polluted with heavy metals at Balatonfuzfo, Hungary. The poplar clones have shown variable degrees of colonization by AMF, suggesting differential host susceptibility or mycorrhizal dependency. After outplanting the percentage of poplar survival was strongly correlated with the frequency of AMF infection. Two clones that survived at the lowest ratio after outplanting had not been colonized by AMF in contrast to those which survived to a much higher extent.