| ARTICLES | Volume 1, Issue 7, Pages 235-243 (September 2015)

Research Article      CONTRIBUTION TO THE CHARACTERIZATION OF MYCORRHIZAE IN THE SOUTH WEST OF MOROCCO AND THEIR EFFECT ON     GROWTH PARAMETERS OF ARGANIA SPINOSA     | Yassine Elmaati | Fouad Msanda | and | Abdelhamid EL Mousadik | Abdellah Elhamdaoui | Said EL Mrabet | and | Lahcen Ouahmane | . American Journal of Innovative Research and     Applied Sciences. 2015; 1(7):235-243.       | PDF FULL TEXT |

ABSTRACT   Backgound: Mycorrhizae are one of the most recommended current forestry biological treatments. They are very important elements in natural systems and play a critical role in the absorption of water and nutrients by plants. Objective: The aim of this work is first, to contribute to the understanding of the diversity and abundance of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with Argania spinosa, Ceratonia siliqua and Acacia gummifera in south western Morocco and second to assess the effect of mycorrhizal inoculation with a native complex on the growth of seedlings of Argania spinosa. Methods: For this purpose, soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of these trees in various sites. The richness and diversity of mycorrhizal fungi in the soils was evaluated with the extraction technique by wet screening of spores. Production of inoculum was conducted under nursery through mycotrophic plants, like maize (Zea mays L.) and leek (Allium porrum L.). The inoculum produced was used for inoculation of Argan seedlings. The effect of mycorrhizal on seedlings tested was evaluated by measuring the growth parameters. Results: The results showed an important mycorrhizal diversity both qualitatively and quantitatively (2014.66 spores per 100 g of the rhizospheric soil collected under Ceratonia siliqua), with a clear dominance of Glomus genus. Positive effects of inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi on dendrometric parameters (height and diameter to the collar) of Argania spinosa seedlings in the nursery (a height of 13.92 cm of Argan seedlings for two months obtained from the native inoculum drawn under Ceratonia siliqua). After two months of culture, fresh shoots and roots biomass and dry shoots and roots biomass are not influenced by mycorrhizal inoculation. Conclusion: Thus, our research has shown clearly that the introduction of mycorrhizal fungi in forest nurseries is a key tool to improve the quality of seedlings produced and their resistance in reforestation sites. Keywords: Mycorrhizae, Argania spinosa, regeneration, reforestation.