ISSN 2736-1756
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2015
Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr
© 2015 International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Studies on mycorrhizae development and anatomical confirmation of mycorrhizae formed on Pinus caribaea Mor. var. hondurensis Barr. and Golf. Seedlings
Akaneme Florence Ifeoma1* and Ene-Obong Efiom Ene-Obong2
1Department of Botany, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
2Cross Rivers State University of Technology, Calabar, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria.
Accepted 22 January, 2014
Abstract
The effects of three soil collections from old pine plantations in Nigeria: Enugu, Ugwuoba and Nsukka and a control soil on mycorrhizae development as well as morphology of the mycorrhizal rootlets, anatomical confirmation of mycorrhizae development were investigated. Enugu soil induced the greatest mycorrhizal infection (44%) and growth of seedlings. It is, therefore, recommended for nursery inoculations of pine seedlings. Bifurcate mycorrhizae characteristic of pines were observed in all treatments. Coherent rhizomorphs were found to be associated with mycorrhizae in Enugu, Ugwuoba and Nsukka soils. Anatomy of the mycorrhizae showed the presence of a fungal sheath and the cortical layer with associated Hartig net. The presence of clamp connections in the fungal sheath and rhizomorphs places the fungi involved in the class Basidiomycetes.
Key words: Mycorrhizae, Pinus caribaea, seedlings.