THE EFFECT OF SOIL-PH ON THE FORMATION OF VA MYCORRHIZAS BY 2 SPECIES OF GLOMUS

Two species of vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungi differed in their ability to infect subterranean clover roots when soil pH was changed by liming. In a glasshouse experiment, Glomus fasciculatum infected extensively at each of 4 levels of soil pH (range 5.3-7.5). Glomus sp. (WUM 16) only infected extensively at the highest pH level. Liming the soil depressed plant growth, but this effect was almost entirely overcome by inoculation with G. fasciculatum. In the 2nd experiment, Glomus sp. (WUM 16) failed to spread from existing infection within roots of subterranean clover when soil pH was 5.3 or lower. The lack of spread of infection was associated with an inability of hyphae of this fungus to grow in the soil used unless it was limed to give a pH at least greater than 5.3.