Sm. Boyetchko et Jp. Tewari, SUSCEPTIBILITY OF BARLEY CULTIVARS TO VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI, Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 75(1), 1995, pp. 269-275
The relative susceptibility of selected barley cultivars produced in w
estern Canada to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi under fi
eld and greenhouse conditions was evaluated in this study. Cultivars t
ested under field conditions at the University of Alberta and Lacombe
research stations showed no significant differences in VAM colonizatio
n of barley roots; colonization was light. Greenhouse trials at the Un
iversity of Alberta with eight cultivars inoculated with individual my
corrhizal species illustrated significant differences among the barley
cultivars in their reactions to Glomus dimorphicum, G. intraradices,
and G. mosseae. Distinct differences were observed in the ability of e
ach Glomus species to colonize the barley cultivars. The VAM fungi inc
reased growth and yield in some cultivars, depending on the Glomus spe
cies. This study indicates that a degree of host-specificity exists in
VAM fungi and that the host-mycorrhizal fungus genotypes may influenc
e the effectiveness of the symbiosis.