• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.178-182
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• 2003

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) fungi naturally colonise American ginseng roots and this relationship is highly beneficial to enhance plant productivity. Our goal was to determine the effect of adding two Glomus species (Glomus etuticatum, G. intraradices) on survival, photosynthetic capacity, growth, morphology and root ginsenoside content of one-year-old American ginseng plants grown in a broadleaf forest. While our study revealed that VAM inoculations significantly affected root morphology and Re ginsenoside content, the survival, photosynthetic capacity and root growth of American ginseng plants were not significantly influenced by VAM inoculations. Surface area and volume of rootlets were 16-25% higher for ginseng grown in VAM-inoculated soil compared to those grown in the control plots. Also, Re ginsenoside content was 18 ％ higher in YAM-inoculated roots compared to controls.