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Journal of Agricultural Science and Botany | Volume: 2
November 15-16, 2018 | Paris, France
Plant Science
Natural Products,Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicines
International Conference on
Joint Event
&
Does low arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization potential in plant roots result forest dieback at
Horton plains national park?
P N Yapa
Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
H
orton Plains National Park (HPNP) is a plateau at the
southern edge of the main Sri Lanka’s central mountain
massif. One of the most striking observations that anybody
could make during a visit to Horton Plains is the dying trees
at an alarming rate, forest dieback. Although there are many
researches done on forest dieback in the montane forest, of
Horton Plains, none have been able to identify the major cause
for the problem and very little work has been done on the
role of arbuscular mycorrhizae on forest dieback. Twenty four
permanent plots of 20 m x 20 m were established randomly to
cover 41-60% tree dieback area at Horton Plains National Park.
Five randomly selected Syzygium rotundifolium saplings were
taken as test plants. Four treatments were set up as control,
addition of compost, compost with native mycorrhizae isolated
from Horton Plains and native mycorrhizae only. In general,
arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization is rather low in the present
study sites of Horton Plains, when compared with that of
similar regional ecosystems studied so far. Although tropical
forests support a high diversity of plants, at Horton Plains their
associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are not diversed,
possibly because AMF network might be disturbed or poorly
established. Soil analysis showed a relatively low fungal spore
count compared to other studies done in similar ecosystems.
Soil pH, soil organic matter content and total nitrogen showed
non significant differences between treatments. However,
total phosphorus content significantly increased in plots with
mycorrhizal addition than in the control plots. Soil pollutionwith
Pb and Cd is evident at Horton Plains. In the present study, it is
not surprising that lower AMF colonization correlatedwith poor
AMF soil inoculumpotential at Horton Plains. However, present
study suggested that we could improve AMF colonization in soil
through external addition of native AMF to the soil, thereby
restoring the vigor of this vulnerable forest back to its initial
glory.
e:
pnyapa40@yahoo.co.ukPlant science & Natural Medicine 2018, Volume 2
DOI: 10.4066/2591-7897-C1-003