Shoot growth, phosphorus uptake (PC) and utilization efficiency (PUE) of Eucalyptus grandis seedlings associated to Glomus etunicatum (Ge) and, or, Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt), in different P rates and soil water potentials (ψ), were evaluated in a greenhouse experiment with two geminated pots, using a split-root technique. One of the pots in the geminated set contained the treatments, arranged in a factorial scheme of two P rates (P60 and P120, corresponding to additions of 60 and 120 mg dm-3 soil), three ψ (-10, -40 and -300 kPa) and four mycorrhizal inoculation treatments (without inoculation, with Ge, with Pt, and with Ge + Pt). The other pot did not contain P in its nutrient solution. Regardless of the P rate added in soil, colonization decreased in response to ψ reductions. This ψ reduction resulted in no changes on Pt infection in P60, but led to a significant increase in P120. The Pt colonization was lower when it was inoculated with Ge than when inoculated alone. Increases on PC in response to ψ increment were observed in both P rates. However, shoot dry matter (DM) and PUE showed a positive response to ψ increment only at P120. There was no effect of Ge inoculation separately on the plants, in any ψ and P rate combinations. Pt colonization presented distinct effects, depending on these combinations. At P60 and - 300 kPa condition, in which P availability was very low, a deleterious effect of Pt inoculation, separately or associated with Ge, was observed on PUE. Pt inoculation, separately, presented a positive effect on PC in the combinations between P120 and ψ -10kPa or - 40 kPa, but only in the second situation there was a DM increase.
mycorrhiza; phosphorus; Eucalyptus