Effect of native and introduced arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth and nutrient uptake ofLygeum spartum andAnthyllis cytisoides

The interaction between native and introduced fungi and their effect on plant growth and mineral uptake were studied. The host plants wereLygeum spartum andAnthyllis cytisoides, the introduced fungus wasGlomus fasciculatum. The four soils used were selected from disturbed and contaminated by mining activities areas. Inoculated and uninoculated plants were grown in the unsterilized and sterilized soils (with and withouth native microflora, respectively). Plants inoculated withG. fasciculatum were higher and had higher tissue P concentration than uninoculated plants, especially inA. cytisoides. However, this inoculation was not effective in unsterilized substrates, suggesting a competition between introduced and native fungi. Concentration of mineral elements other than P varied depending on the host plant and soil. Decrease in Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Pb was observed in mycorrhizalA. cytiosides plants and a slight increase in Zn concentration was noted in mycorrhizalL. spartum plants. The study showed that the type of soil and their populations of native endophytes have a considerable effect on plant response to mycorrhizal symbiosis, especially in disturbed soils.