Study of Root Colonization Percentage of Grain Sorghum Cultivars by Two Species of Mycorrhizal Fungi and Its Effect on Some Morphological and Agronomic Traits

The aim of this research was to investigate the root colonization percentage of grain sorghum cultivars by two species of mycorrhizal fungi and its effect on some of morphological and agronomic traits. Experiment was laid out as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments included three levels of fungi (F1: control without inoculation, F2: inoculation with Glomus mossea and F3: inoculation with G. intraradices) and three sorghum cultivars (V1: Payam, V2: Kimia and V3: Sepideh). Traits of root dry weight, root colonization percentage, plant height, panicle length, panicle diameter, stem diameter and flag leaf area were evaluated. The ANOVA results showed that mycorrhizal fungi and cultivar had significant effects on all traits. The effect of fungi × cultivar interaction was also significant for all traits except plant height, panicle length and flag leaf area. Based on means comparison, maximum values of evaluated traits were belonged to Kimia cultivar. Also, between fungi treatments, the highest values of flag leaf area and plant height were revealed at G. mossea, so that in this species in compawither to control treatment (without inoculation), flag leaf area and plant height traits wered increased by 7.53 and 9.74 percent, respectively. Means comparison of fungi × cultivar interaction for root dry weight indicated that maximum value of this trait (20.7 g plant-1) achieved at V3F3 treatment. In this treatment in comparison to V1F1 treatment root dry weight was increased by 40.5 percent. In general, it seems that application of mycorrhiza by increasing nutrient uptake, can improve morphological and agronomic characteristics of sorghum.