INOCULATION OF APRICOT SEEDLINGS WITH INDIGENOUS ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN OPTIMUM PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZATION FOR QUALITY GROWTH ATTRIBUTES

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, namely Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter) Gerdemann & Trappe,G. mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe, G. macrocarpum (Tul. & Tul.) and Sclerocystis dussii (Almeida and Schenck), were screened at nursery stage to apricot seedlings (Prunus armeniaca L.) cv. New Castle to evaluate the performance on different vegetative growth parameters at 0, 25, 50 and 100 mg kg-1 levels of P fertilization in soil. To select the most effective AM fungal species in promoting the growth, the seedlings were grown in pots under controlled atmospheric conditions for a period of six months. The data were recorded on AM fungal spore count and colonization; plant height, stem diameter, dry weight of shoot and root, leaf area and stomata count, biochemical characteristics (total chlorophylls and phenols), leaf nutrient content, and uptake by seedlings. Inoculation with G. fasciculatum resulted in higher spore count, root colonization, higher growth characteristics, and nutrient status of leaf in comparison to uninoculated control. The performance of different AM fungal species increased along with phosphorus (P) fertilization in the soil. Soil inoculation of G. fasciculatum and 50 mg P kg-1 was found most effective with corresponding values (209%, 59%, 102.2%, 86.2%, 57.6%, 70.8%, and 131.5%) for higher spore count, root colonization, seedling height, stem diameter, dry weight of shoot and root, leaf area, total chlorophylls and phenolic content in leaf, respectively. This treatment had also increased phosphorus (130 mg kg-1), iron (46.8 mg kg-1), copper (76.3 mg kg-1), and zinc (64.3 mg kg-1) in leaf with corresponding uptake of 180.77, 187.38, 213.79, and 122.58% compared to the uninoculated control.