The present study to investigate the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal root colonization and spore population of some medicinal plants species at Theerthamalai hills Western Ghats of Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu. Root and rhizosphere soil samples were collected during the month of August, 2010-March, 2011. From the surface to 20 cm depth as well as pH were also measured. Totally 42 plant species belonging to 24 families recovered Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore and root colonization. The results of the present study arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore population in the rhizosphere soil and root colonization of all the plant species. The maximum spore population was found in the rhizosphere soil samples of the plant species Leucas aspera (386/100g of soil) which belongs to the family Lamiaceae and lowest spore population was observed in the Wrightia tinctoria (117/100g of soil) belongs to Apocyanaceae. The maximum AM fungal infection was found in roots of Cassia auriculata (63%) belongs to the family Fabaceae, while the lowest AM fungal association was found in the root of Achyranthes aspera (17%) belongs to the family Amaranthaceae. A total of 24 AM fungal species belonging to 4 genera were recorded from the rhizosphere soil samples of this study region. Among these genus Glomus was dominant had seen in rhizosphere soil samples in all the medicinal plant species.
STUDIES ON THE ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGAL DIVERSITY OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES FROM KODIKUTHIMALA, MALAPPURAM, KERALA
