Observations on the endogonaceae in rubber soils of sri lanka

Abstract

Mycorrhizal species of EndoGone are a norll1Ll component of the soil mic:voflora in Hevea cuI tivc tions. Soils speci8.11y in the {Jry zone exhibi t a surprisine; vP,riety r'-11c1 richness in th,~ fungal flora studieo. AbunQcmce of extro.mLtric:::tl spores inclicr te their gre,-],terimportance as a source of infection, than spores pr00uced in sporocarps. Three gener~l of Enc1ogonaceae 8.no 2,180 over twenty species so f~r not reported from Sri Lanka, are for the first time reported. Pueraria seedline;s were inocul' tea with root segments infectecl by cifferent species. An exotic inoculurfiprove0 to be of best performance. The local crude inoculwn, though quick to estc'blish infection, is significantly less effective in the long run. Infection synthefJis was trieD out \iith two conwonly avail8.ble spore types. Their only difference w[-"sin colour. Spores took a considero,bly longer time to infect than rootsegr'"lents.Successful infection occured ':dtb only some of the yellow spores.