ABSTRACT The benefits promoted by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to forest species seedlings include higher growth rate, better nutrition, and higher survival rates. Inoculation with AMF may facilitate revegetation of degraded lands, although it depends on symbionts and environmental conditions, such as soil P availability. In this sense, the lack of information justifies the carrying out of studies of this nature. We investigated the dependence and responsiveness of two forest species native to the Atlantic Forest, Pseudobombax grandiflorum and Bauhinia […]

ABSTRACT Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) may improve the adaptation of eucalypts saplings to field conditions and allow more efficient fertilizer use. The effectiveness of EMF inoculum application in promoting fungal colonization, plant growth, nutrient uptake, and the quality of rooted cuttings was evaluated for Eucalyptus urophylla under commercial nursery conditions. For inoculated treatments, fertilization of the sapling substrate was reduced by 50 %. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design in a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement, wherein […]

In tropical legumes, a careful selection of rhizobia strains, among other factors, is essential for the efficiency of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). This selection should be made for leguminous crops of social and economic interest, such as lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.). The aim of this study was to evaluate the symbiotic effectiveness of rhizobia from two regions of Piauí producing lima bean. Seventeen isolates and two reference strains CIAT 899 and NGR 234 were evaluated on the fava bean […]

Rhizoctonia-like mycorrhizal fungi Epulorhiza spp. have been isolated from orchids of the genus Epidendrum and have been used to promote the symbiotic germination of orchid seeds. Epidendrum secundum is a widely distributed orchid in campo de altitude (high elevation grassy vegetation) regions of the State Park of Serra do Brigadeiro (PESB), Minas Gerais, Brazil, and little is known about the mycorrhizal relationships of this species in the park. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological diversity of […]

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on heavy metal absorption by plants are controversial. This is due to the differences in soil metal availability, AMF and plant species, and also to possible interactions among these and other environmental/abiotic factors. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of AMF inoculation (Glomus macrocarpum), and soil base saturation (SBS) on growth, nutrition and Pb uptake of soybean grown on a Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo, an Oxisol. Plots were treated with or […]

The first steps of molecular signal exchange between the bean plant and its Rhizobium spp. microsymbionts were studied. The effects on nodulation of the addition of seed exudates of two different leguminous tree plants, Mimosa flocculosa or Leucaena leucocephala, in the presence of R. tropici, R. etli or R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli were studied. The expression of nod genes was also measured “in vitro” by the activity of ß-glucuronidase on different genetically modified strains possessing the fusion nodA::gusA, using as […]