Root-fungal associations in plants from home gardens of Tripura, Northeast India

Abstract

Mycorrhizal association is an integral part of terrestrial ecosystems. The present work was focused to examine arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungal colonization, and the composition of AM fungi from two home gardens of Tripura in Northeast India. The results reveal eight plants commonly occurring in two sites belonging to seven families. Of the eight plants, dual colonization of AM and DSE fungi was observed in seven plants from two sites. A total of 18 AM fungal species were recovered from both the sites.The study reveals a robust composition of AM fungi in the home garden ecosystem. AM fungi isolated from these ecosystems confirm their occurrence and these fungi may be beneficial in improving the cultivation practices in the home garden systems of the region.