Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Associated with Tea Growing under Two Different Agricultural Intensities

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with the rhizosphere of tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] were studied in an untreated site (UTS) and a treated site (TS). UTS was a bare land where addition of fertilizers and other common agricultural practices have never been practised, whereas in TS chemical fertilizers as well as other pesticides have been generally applied in tea plantation. The study revealed overall 50 AMF morphotypes belong to fourteen genera, viz., Acaulospora, Ambispora, Claroideoglomus, Corymbiglomus, Dentiscutata, Dominikia, Funneliformis, Gigaspora, Glomus, Racocetra, Rhizophagus, Sclerocystis, Scutellospora and Septoglomus. The present study clearly indicated that tea rhizosphere harboured a plethora of AMF species. AMF being important components of agroecosystems, a detailed study of AMF adapted to the confined environment may be a pre-requisite to select the suitable AMF inoculum for field utilization.