Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Associated with Rhizosphere of Tomato Grown in Arid and Semi-arid Regions of Indian Desert

Background and Objective: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis is a major survival strategy for plants growing under environmental stresses.Present study aimed at investigating diversity and drivers of AMF in rhizosphere of tomato at arid and semi-arid regions of Indian desert.Materials and Methods: Soil and feeder root samples were collected from 24 tomato farms in 6 districts of arid and semi-arid regions of the desert during 2017 cropping season.Spores were analyzed using morphological and molecular (Illumina Miseq sequencing platform) methods.Results: About 18 species viz.8 of Glomus, 3 each of Acaulospora and Sclerocystis, 2 each of Scutellospora and Gigaspora were isolated.Glomus mossae, G. intraradices and G. fasciculatum had highest frequency of occurrence (100%) followed by Gigaspora albida, G. margarita and A. bireculata (83% each), while other species ranged between 33-66%.Spore population showed strong positive correlations with root colonization, organic carbon and rainfall, fairly positive correlation with sand, pH, nitrogen and potassium, weak correlations with temperature, silt, clay and electrical conductivity and negatively significant correlation with phosphorous.Conclusion: Glomus species were dominant AMF, spore population and root colonization were higher and lower in arid and semi-arid districts respectively, while major drivers of AMF diversity were edapho-climatic factors.