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Phosphorus amendment inhibits hyphal branching of the AM fungus Gigaspora margarita directly and indirectly through its effect on root exudation

poster
DOUDS, DAVID, JERRY Nagahashi, and GLORIA Abney
USDA-ARS ERRC, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038-8038 USA

ICOM1 Abstract
The direct or indirect nature of the inhibition of mycorrhizal development by phosphorus is still debated, but the exact effect upon the mycorrhizal fungus in the soil is not understood. To this end, the effect of solution P concentration upon growth of pregerminated spores of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora margarita was examined in vitro. One mM P significantly inhibited branching of the primary germ tube. The number of branches and the total hyphal length were both significantly inhibited at 10 mM P. In addition, germinated spores exposed to exudates produced by Ri T-DNA transformed roots of Daucus carota grown in the presence of P showed significantly less hyphal branching than those exposed to exudates produced by P stressed roots. These phenomena could contribute to the observed inhibition of mycorrhiza formation by high P.