Mycorrhizal effects on the acclimatization, survival, growth and chlorophyll of micropropagated Syngonium and Draceana inoculated at weaning and hardening stages

Abstract

 Micropropagated plantlets of Syngonium podophyllum and Draceana sp. were inoculated during an early weaning stage of acclimatization with a mixed indigenous consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Both species were colonized but a significantly higher colonization was observed (38%) in Draceana than S. podophyllum when it was harvested after 20 weeks. Draceana plants showed little difference in the extent to which they were colonized, when examined either at the weaning stage or hardening stage; however, S. podophyllum plants at the weaning stage were better colonized than at 20 weeks. Survival was high in inoculated plants at lower fertility in both hosts. Moreover, S. podophyllum showed better stolon production than uninoculated controls at both fertility levels, though the increase was higher at lower fertility. Draceana showed no response in shoot height to any treatment. Chlorophyll accumulation in both hosts was significantly influenced by inoculation, fertility and stage (weaning and hardening). A significant increment in shoot P uptake was also observed in both hosts related to inoculation, stage and fertility. Inoculation with the AM consortium had a significant and favourable effect on acclimatization of micropropagated S. podophyllum and Draceana at the weaning stage, saving almost 15 days in the total hardening process.