The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Gigaspora margarita in micropropagated bananas plants in differents stages of rooting

Abstract

With the aim of evaluate de use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Gigaspora margarita to reduce the time of formation of micropropagated banana plants it was conducted an experiment under greenhouse conditions at the CAMPO-CPA (micropropagating plant)/Embrapa-Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, in the city of Cruz das Almas, State of Bahia. Plants were tested at three different stages of formation: unrooted, half-rooted and completed rooted being cultivated on two substrates composed from mistures of turfgrass, vermiculite and manure. The plants were inoculated at the time of transplanting to the different substrates and were harvested after the acclimatization period of 55 days, for evaluation of its growth, mineral nutrition and mycorrhizal colonization. Gigaspora margarita promoted intensive colonization and was benefic for banana plant growth; plants inoculated and cultivated on substrate composed of turfgrass + vermiculite + 5% of manure, look normal and healthy; the beggining of acclimatization phase of banana plantlets production could be antecipated by inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi and use of proper substrate.

Musa spp.; aclimatatization; mycorrhizae; root growth; substratum; manure