TROYER CITRANGE GROWTH INOCULATED WITH MY CORRHIZAL FUNGUS, IN 2 GROWING MEDIA

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of two substrate mixtures and arbuscular mycorrhyzae (AM) on the vegetative g rowth of Troyer citrange. Troyer citrange seeds, inoculated or not wit h G. intraradices Schenck & Smith were sown in plastic trays containin g a substrate mixture of silica sand plus perlite plus Sphagnum peat ( 3:2:1; v/v/v). Sixty days after sowing the seedlings were transferred to black polyethylene bags containing either the sowing substrate or s edge black peat plus Sphagnum peat (1:1; v/v). AM increased vegetative growth of Troyer citrange independently of the growing media The diff erences in vegetative growth between mycorrhyzal and nonmycorrhyzal se edlings were greater when cultivated in sedge black peat plus Sphagnum peat, which is an indication that this mixture, although with high le vels of organic matter does not inhibit AM. Moreover, this treatment r esulted in bigger trunk diameter of the seedlings that possibly could have positive effects on the anticipation of grafting time.