Development of an inoculum and identification of component of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza for improved survival and growth of micropropagated sago palm (Metroxylon Sagu Rottboll) at nursery stage / Margaret Chan Kit Yok … [et al.]

The ability and compatibility of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi, taxonomically found in the order of the Glomales of Zygomycetes indigenous to field sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottboll) on the root colonization of micropropagated sago plantlets was investigated. There were clear evidences of root colonization of the sago plantlets by the VAM with the presence of the characteristic structures: the appresoria, arbuscular and vesicles involving a sequence of steps that were documented over duration of 20 weeks. There was also a clear evidence of host control of the colonization process. Phosphate application had been shown to inhibit the colonization as indicated by the delayed presence of the characteristic structures of the VAM in the root samples of the VAM inoculated plantlets applied with phosphate by one month.