The influence of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae on biomass production in willow

Abstract

Cuttings of Salixdasyclados and Salixdaphnoides were grown in clay, peat, or sand under greenhouse conditions and inoculated with endomycorrhizal roots. Uninoculated cuttings in the same substrates served as controls. All plants were fertilized with a commercial fertilizer solution. Shoot dry mass and colonization by vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were measured during the experiment. At the end of the experiment growth of inoculated plants was significantly enhanced in peat (p < 0.001) and sand (p < 0.01), while in clay, no effect of inoculation on growth was found. In peat and sand increased growth of plants could be correlated with frequency of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. No significant differences in concentrations of P or N in leaves and stems were noted between mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants at the end of the experiment. It is concluded that vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae stimulate growth of willow under greenhouse conditions despite application of easily available nutrients.