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Axenic growth and sporulation of Glomus intraradices from a transformed carrot root grown in the proximity of a pre-colonized sweet potato root from an aeroponic system

poster
ASIF, M & ABDUL G. KHAN
Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Sydney - Macarthur, P. O. Box 555, Campbelltown NSW 2560, Australia

ICOM1 Abstract
Aeroponically grown sweet potato roots infected with Glomus intraradices were surface-disinfected and placed on a minimal medium with or without a non-infected Ri-T DNA transformed carrot root. Extensive mycelium and spores developed on both the plates, although the growth was more profuse on the plate with the transformed root, which also became infected. When subcultured on minimal medium, without any root segment, axenic growth occurred on the plates inoculated for 6 weeks in dark at 25oC. The fungus possessed aseptate mycelium with angular projections typical of VAM fungi. Successful vesicular infection developed in the roots of Sudan grass when inoculated with infected hairy roots or a small agar block with axenic fungal growth only as sources of inoculum. No arbuscules were observed. Inoculated plants produced significantly higher PDW than the controls but compared to plants inoculated with sand culture, PWD were not significantly different. However, when both sources of inoculum were used collectively, a significant and perhaps synergistic effect on PDW was observed.