Interaction between Glomus mosseae and soil yeasts on growth and nutrition of cowpea

A glass house experiment was conducted to study the interaction between the mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus mosseae and six soil yeasts (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Trichosporon cutaneum var. cutaneum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cryptococcus laurentii, Debaryomyces occidentalis var. occidentalis), and their effect on growth and nutrition of cowpea. All the yeasts had a synergistic interaction with the mycorrhizal fungus and dual inoculation improved plant growth compared to single inoculation with G. mosseae alone. Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of plants was also enhanced significantly in G. mosseae and soil yeasts combinations. Growth, N, P, chlorophyll and phenol content and yield of cowpea were highest in plants treated with G. mosseae+R. mucilaginosa. Mycorrhizal root colonization, spore numbers and population of yeasts in the root zone soil were also highest in the treatment G. mosseae+R. mucilaginosa and least in the uninoculated plants. (c) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.