In order to determine the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on growth of seedlings of sweet-yellow passion fruit, a greenhouse experiment was performed, using 200 AMF spores/plant in a randomized design with five treatments of inoculation (Acaulospora longula Spain & Schenck, Gigaspora albida Schenck & Smith, Glomus etunicatum Becker & Gerd., Scutellospora heterogama (Nicol. & Gerd.) Walker & Sanders, and a non inoculated control) with seven replicates. Every 20 days height and leaf number and after 90 days shoot diameter, biomass, leaf area, root colonization and density of AMF spores in the rhizosphere were evaluated. After 70 days significant differences in number of leaves were observed. At the 90th day plants associated with G. albida were higher than those of the other treatments that do not differ among them. In comparison with the control, plants associated with G. albida presented increment of 2,138% and 1,430% on fresh and dry biomass of the aerial part, 1,937% on fresh biomass of roots and 2,671% on leaf area. Although host specificity does not exist in arbuscular mycorrhizal associations, only G. albida promoted significant responses on growth of sweet-yellow passion fruit, what indicates that higher functional compatibility may exist between these partners.
Pernambuco State; mycorrhiza; sweet yellow passion fruit; Gigaspora albida; Scutellospora heterogama
