ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA OF WINTER WHEAT UNDER DIFFERENT DURATION OF ORGANIC FARMING

Abstract

The effect of continuous organic farming (OF) on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) was investigated in a greenhouse pot trial. Representative soil samples were taken from 5 farms in the “Weinviertel” region, northeast of Vienna, Austria. On each farm three sites with a different duration of OF were selected for soil sampling; wheat was used as test plant. The mycorrhizal colonization (MC), root length density (RD) and the mycorrhizal colonized root length density (MD) were evaluated for the wheat roots. The majority of the wheat plants indicated an increasing MC and MD with increasing duration of OF. Based on our results we assume that a conversion period from conventional to OF of approximately 15 years is needed to establish a stable population of AMF, with all their considerable potential benefits for the host plants, and their contribution to maintaining soil fertility and structure