Plant species in sensu stricto Cerrado have adaptive strategies to soil and climatic adversities that require high investment of nutrients, water and photoassimilates. The mutualistic fungi - plant root symbiosis is an important adaptation by which plants can improve soil nutrients and water acquisition and it can be determinant for plant survival in Cerrado conditions. The aim of this study was to establish a method for studying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophytic fungi (DSEF) in roots of some tree and shrub species in stricto sensu Cerrado. The best method for root clarification was obtained after autoclaving root samples with 2 % KOH for 20 min followed by incubation in a new 2 % KOH solution for 24 h at room temperature. This procedure was repeated once and subsequently the samples were immersed in 2 % H2O2 for 2 h. The arbuscules were thoroughly examined after resin inclusion, sectioned and stained with toluidine blue. All plant species evaluated were associated to AMF and all but Xylopia aromatica were associated to DSEF as well. The mycorrhizal frequency in shrubs was higher than in tree species. The widespread occurrence of AMF and DSEF symbioses suggests that they represent an important adaptation to environmental factors in the Cerrado region.
mycorrhizal colonization; AMF; DSEF; shrub; tree
