Effect of Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae on the Growth of Bell Pepper and Corn Seedlings

고추와 옥수수 실생의 생장에 미치는 균근의 효과

Effects of mycorrhizal infection on the growth of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and corn (Zea mays) seedlings have been studied by comparing plants grown in sterilized soil/sand mixtures to plants grown in sterilized soil/sand mixtures with topping the original non-sterile field soil. The original nonsterile field soil, which were taken from the bell pepper field, contained a high level of endmycorrhizal spores. After seven weeks, the shoot height of inoculated plants was increased by 110% in bell pepper, and 90% in corn compared with the control plants. The average above-ground biomass of inoculated plant was increased by 88% in bell pepper and 71% in corn compared with the control plants. The shoot-root ratios in bell pepper and corn were 2.7 and 1.8 for the control plants, and 4.3 and 2.7 for the treatment plants, respectively. Phosphorus level in inoculated plant was higher than that of the control plant. However, nitrogen contents were similar between the control and the treatment plants. The control plants didi not form vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae during the experimental period.