EFFECT OF GLOMUS-ETUNICATUM INOCULATION ON ALUMINUM, PHOSPHORUS, CALCIUM, AND MAGNESIUM UPTAKE OF 2 BARLEY GENOTYPES WITH DIFFERENT ALUMINUM TOLERANCE

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of vesicular-arbuscula r mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus etunicatum on growth, absorption, an d distribution of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), and al uminum (Al) in one Al-tolerant and one Al-sensitive barley cultivar. T he plants were grown in sand daily irrigated with nutrient solution co ntaining 0 or 600 mu M Al at pH 4.8. Significant interaction (P=0.05) among variety, mycorrhiza, and aluminum (VxMxAl) were noted for both s hoot and root dry matter (DM); shoot concentration and content of Al, P, Ca, and Mg; root concentration of Al, P, and Mg; and root content o f Al, P, Ca, and Mg. With VAM inoculation: i) root colonization degree was about 50% in all treatment, ii) shoot DM yield increased between 30 and 70%, iii) Al concentration and content decrease down to a half both in shoots and roots of sensitive barley, iv) Ca concentration in shoots of sensitive barley showed a high increase at 600 mu M Al, and v) P concentration and content in shoots of both varieties increased s ignificantly.