Effect of free-soil-inhabiting or root-associated microfungi on the development of arbuscular mycorrhizae and on proliferation of intraradical mycorrhizal hyphae

Colonization of maize roots by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus fistulosum and proliferation of intra-radical distributive hypha: was influenced by the free-soil-inhabiting sterile microfungus SC. Inoculation with this isolate significantly increased the percentage of the infected root length and changed the composition of population of microfungi in the cultivation substratum. Compared to a control without inoculation with any saprophytic microfungus, inoculation with the isolate SC significantly (by approx. 100%) increased the percentage of root segments showing the proliferation of mycorrhizal fungus, the mean number of proliferating hypha: per active (proliferating) root segment being increased by approx. 200%. The plant growth was not affected by inoculation with any of the saprophytes tested.