A survey of soil and root samples collected beneath
some pioneering plants colonizing reclaimed mine
spoil at an opencast coal mine site at Chandrapur, Maharashtra
State, India, was conducted in
October 1994 to examine the possible host and edaphic influence
on the occurrence of arbuscular
mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Thirteen plant species were sampled to
determine the mycorrhizal root
colonization and the number of spores of individual AM
fungal species in the rhizosphere.
Typical AM fungal infection was observed in roots of all
the plant species examined. Mycorrhizal
infection ranged from 20 to 95%. Sampled soils contained six
spore-forming species of AM fungi
(Acaulospora scrobiculata, Entrophospora
colombiana, Glomus aggregatum, Glomus
ambisporum, Scutellospora calospora and a
previously undescribed species of Glomus). Fungal
spore densities were not related to the mycorrhizal infection
levels. E. colombiana and G. ambisporum
were the leading species in terms of spore densities and
frequencies. Phenotypic variations in spores of AM fungi were
possibly related to the physical and chemical properties
of the mine spoil.
It is concluded that the pioneering plant species on mine
spoils can cause the development of
different populations of AM fungi. The study also indicates
that certain species of AM fungi have
broad environmental requirements.