The effect of herbicides on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with annual invasive Asteroideae weeds

Abstract

Invasive plants Galinsoga parviflora and Erigeron canadensis are common in crops and adjacent territories. One of the factors contributing to their spread is the community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with these species. The nature of the symbiotic relationship between the host plant and AMF is determined by their phylogenetic position and place of growth. The aim of this work was to determine the level of mycorrhizal colonization of E. canadensis и G. parviflora growing in arable fields and along them. For plants at the flowering stage, high rates of frequency and intensity of mycorrhization were revealed. It has been shown that the level of mycorrhizal colonization of E. canadensis and G. parviflora is significantly influenced by the range of herbicides applied. The application of 2.4 D slightly reduced the intensity of colonization, but significantly stimulated the formation of arbuscules in plant roots. In turn, metribuzin prevented the formation of mycorrhiza. AMF associated with these plants formed a separate clade. This group, in our opinion, is responsible for more effective symbiosis with invasive plants of the Asteroideae subfamily and requires further closer study.