Influence of two legume species on hyphal production and activity of two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Two arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Glomusmosseae and G. intraradices) were compared for abundance of intraradical and soil-borne hyphae in association with Astragalus sinicum, a small-seeded, and Glycinemax, a large-seeded legume. A. sinicum was more responsive than G. max to mycorrhizal formation, especially at early growth stages. Biomass allocation was greater in roots than shoots for mycorrhizal A. sinicum, while the opposite was true for G. max. Hyphal development in root and soil compartments was estimated by trypan blue staining and after staining for succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Total fungal abundance increased steadily in roots and soil with time to a maximum 8 weeks after planting. SDH- and ALP-active AM hyphae increased in roots during plant growth but decreased in soil at later harvests. Mycorrhizal root mass in A. sinicum and G. max increased about 14-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively, but total length of soil hyphae produced per plant differed little, so that the pattern of AM soil to root abundance of the two fungi varied considerably with the host plant.