Document Type : Research Article
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Abstract
High concentration, of heavy metals and the presence of phosphorus in soils may cause a reduction in the growth and activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and consequently, the spore production of these fungi would decrease. In order to evaluate the effect of zinc and cadmium as heavy metals and phosphorus on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi activity through measuring glomalin produced by these fungi a factorial experiment arranged as completely randomized design was carried out. Experimental factors included two fungal species G. mosseae and G. intraradices and non mycorrhiza (NM), six combinations of metals (400 mg of Zn, 25 mg of Cd, 400 mg of Zn + 25 mg of Cd, 50 mg P, 50 mg of P+ 400 mg of Zn + 25 mg of Cd, and no metal kg-1 soil sample) in three replications. The results showed that inoculated treatments produced more glomalin compared to non mycorrhizal treatments. The application of Cd, Zn and P caused a significant reduction in produced glomalin by both fungi species. The most reduction of glomalin in G. intraradices was detected in Cd treatment and in G. mosseae was in Zn treatment. The result also showed a positive correlation between the measured glomalin by Bradford assay and the percent of root colonization. According to the results of this study, glomalin in soil could be an indicator to monitor arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi activity and soil health.
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