POTENTIAL OF EARTHWORMS, ANTS, MILLIPEDES, AND TERMITES FOR DISSEMINATION OF VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN SOIL

We studied the effects of earthworms, termites, ants, and millipedes on the dissemination of vesciular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) propagules. Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris L.) casts collected from the garden were air-dried, stored, and examined for the presence of VAM fungi by inoculating the cast material onto onion plants grown in sterilized soil. VAM propagules survived for a period of 12 months. The results showed that earthworms can contribute to the dissemination of VAM propagules. Nests of ants (Camponotus compressus Fabr.) collected from different locations were examined for the presence of VAM propagules. They harboured up to 790 infective propagules g-1 of nest, showing that ants can be potential vectors in disseminating VAM fungi. The faecal pellets of the millipede (Phyllogonostreptus nigrolabiatus Newport) collected from the rearing tank were tested for VAM colonization. Though VAM propagules were present in the fresh faecal pellets, they lost their viability after 4 days of storage. Termitaria samples of both mound-building and subterranean termites were also examined for VAM propagules but those found were non-viable.