ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL ASSOCIATIONS OF PLANTS COLONIZING COAL-MINE SPOIL IN INDIA

A survey of soil and root samples collected beneath some pioneering pl ants colonizing reclaimed mine spoil at an opencast coal mine site at Chandrapur, Maharashtra State, India, was conducted in October 1994 to examine the possible host and edaphic influence on the occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Thirteen plant species were sampled to determine the mycorrhizal root colonization and the number of spor es of individual AM fungal species in the rhizosphere. Typical AM fung al infection was observed in roots of all the plant species examined. Mycorrhizal infection ranged from 20 to 95 %. Sampled soils contained six spore-forming species of AM fungi (Acaulospora scrobiculata, Entro phospora colombiana, Glomus aggregatum, Glomus ambisporum, Scutellospo ra calospora and a previously undescribed species of Glomus). Fungal s pore densities were not related to the mycorrhizal infection levels. E . colombiana and G. ambisporum were the leading species in terms of sp ore densities and frequencies. Phenotypic variations ih spores of AR? fungi were possibly related to the physical and chemical properties of the mine spoil. It is concluded that the pioneering plant species on mine spoils can cause the development of different populations of AM f ungi. The study also indicates that certain species of AM fungi have b road environmental requirements.