The Impact of Arbuscular Mycorrhizae and Phosphorus Status on Growth of Two Turfgrass Species

The effect of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerd. & Trappe, on the growth of two turfgrass species, creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) which are commonly used for greens and lawns, was examined in relation to phosphorus nutrition. The grasses were grown in a greenhouse in a randomized block design pot culture experiment and received either complete or 75% reduced phosphorus level nutrition on a weekly basis for 16 weeks. The results indicated that root colonization, predominantly as the arbuscular form, reached more than 40% in both species under both nutrient levels by the end of the growth period. Mycorrhizal turfgrass plants tended to produce more above ground biomass over time. The chlorophyll content and root density were not significantly altered by mycorrhizal colonization in either grass species. This study suggests that the establishment of the arbuscular mycorrhizal-grass symbiosis could be considered as a potential agent for the reduction of fertilizer input in the environment.