Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affects biomolecules content in Myracrodruon urundeuva seedlings

The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) promotes the plant growth and can alter the production of primary and secondary metabolites. Myracrodruon urundeuva (Engler Fr. Allemao) is an important native species that belongs to Caatinga biome, widely used in folk medicine in Northeast of Brazil. This species has some biological activities related to the presence of secondary metabolites, especially phenols. The aim of this work was to determine the effects of AMF on the content and concentrations of total phenols, flavonoids, soluble carbohydrate and proteins in M. urundeuva seedlings. Seedlings inoculated with Acaulospora longula (Spain & Shenck) had a higher content of soluble carbohydrate (112.7%), protein (32.87%), total phenols (81.03%) and flavonoids (57.5%) over uninoculated control. The M. urundeuva and A. longula symbiotic association promotes changes in the primary and secondary metabolism, resulting in herbage with better quality. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.