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Bolandnazar, S. 2009. The effect of mycorrhizal fungi on onion (Allium cepa L.) growth and yield under three irrigation intervals at field condition. JOURNAL OF FOOD AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT. 7(2):360-362. For a sustainable agriculture, the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for improving plant performance, mineral nutrition and water uptake has been attracted great attention in recent years. The response of Azar-Shahr red onion to 3 species of mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus versiforme, G intraradices and G. etunicatum) under 3 irrigation intervals was studied during two consecutive years. Pre-inoculated onion seedlings and un-inoculated ones were transplanted to 6 m(2) plots. The plants were irrigated every 7, 9 and 11 days after establishment. The results indicated that mycorrhizal colonization significantly increased seedling survival in all irrigation intervals and seedling establishment were increased more than 21% by mycorrhizal colonization. Onions colonized by G versiforme at 9-day irrigation interval had the highest leaf area at bulbing stage (633.6 cm(2)) and non-mycorrhizal plants at 11-day irrigation interval had the lowest leaf area(305.2 cm(2)). Mycorrhizal colonization improved onion bulb yield about 3 fold in comparison with control plants. Onions colonized by G versiforme and G intraradices under 7 and 9 day irrigation intervals and G. etunicatum at 7-day irrigation interval produced the highest marketable bulb (more than 35 t/ha) and non-mycorrhizal plants at 11-day irrigation interval had the lowest marketable yield (5.7 t/ha).
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