| Mycorrhiza is an association between a host plant and a soil fungus. Experiments were conducted to determine low temperature and soil disturbance effects on AM fungus winter survival and vigour in spring. The results showed that cool temperatures significantly reduced plant root growth and delayed AM formation. Glomus intraradices sporulation was highest at 23°C, while spore metabolic activity was significantly reduced with temperature below 10°C. Root length and colonization percentage decreased at 10°C. Mycorrhizal fungi increased 32P activity of leek leaves at a root zone temperature of 23°C 7 days after 32P injection, and at both 23°C and 15°C 14 days after injection. No difference was found at 0°C between mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. Amounts of total and metabolically active spores and hyphae varied over sampling times. The infectivity of AM fungi was not affected by soil disturbance, but varied among the sampling times. |
