Arbuscular mycorrhizae in aquatic plants, India

Abstract

Plant root fungal interactions called mycorrhizae are found in approximately 90% of all vascular plants. Hydrophytes were regarded as nonmycorrhizal until last decade since AM fungi require oxygen to thrive and it has been assumed that AM fungi have little significance in wetland ecosystems. In India, studies are scarce on mycorrhizal association in wetland habitats viz., aquatic and marshy lands, khazan lands, and mangroves ecosystem. The first report of mycorrhizal colonization in aquatic plants was recorded in modified leaves of Salvinia cucullata. Recent study indicated that 16 of 20 plant species of aquatic and marshy habitats from Goa exhibited AM fungal root colonization. A study on occurrence of AM fungal association in five subtropical ponds of marshy habitats from Shillong revealed that nonmycorrhizal plants exhibited poor plant growth and biomass. The presence of AM fungal association in 24 plant species of sedges (representing six genera) was confirmed from different vegetation types of Western Ghats. In Goa, occurrence of AM fungal association in 28 plant species belonging to 16 families from khazan land ecosystem indicated their adaptability to salt stress conditions in plant growth and survival. Mycorrhizal association in mangroves ecosystem in the Ganges river estuary indicated tolerance of mycorrhizae to various types of physical and chemical stresses in soil. This paper reviews the work carried out on diversity and role of AM fungi in wetland ecosystems from India.