INFLUENCE OF ECTOMYCORRHIZAE ON THE GROWTH OF SEEDLINGS OF Eucalyptus grandis, Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus saligna AND Eucalyptus dunnii

The ectomycorrhizal association benefit plants by providing an increase in the area of root absorption and getting more nutrients and water as well as may enable growth of the host soils subjected to adverse conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different ectomycorrhizal isolates on seedling growth of Eucalyptus grand's W. Hill ex Maid., Corymbia citriodora (Hook.) K. D. Hill & L.A.S. Johnson, Eucalyptus saligna Sm. and Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden. The design was completely randomized in a factorial arrangement (4 x 4), four species of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis, Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus saligna and Eucalyptus dunnii) and four ectomycorrhizal inoculum (UFSC - Pt116 (Pisolithus microcarpus (Cooke & Massee) Cunn), UFSC -132 (Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch), UFSC -121, and without inoculation) with 12 repetitions. After ninety days of conducting the experiment were evaluated: the percentage of ectomycorrhizal colonization, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, dry weight of root and shoot. Relationships were also calculated: dry aerial/root dry mass, height/diameter and Dickson quality index. The plant height, leaf number and shoot dry mass showed higher average in the species Eucalyptus dunnii and Corymbia citriodora, when the inoculation with UFSC -132. Inoculation with UFSC-Pt116 resulted in 63,3 % of colonized roots in Corymbia citriodora, while Eucalyptus dunnii inoculated with UFSC-121 had 67,7 % of its colonized roots. The isolated UFSC-132 provides enhanced growth of seedlings of Eucalyptus dunnii and Corymbia citriodora compared to the control without inoculation.