Abstract:
Crops are often contaminated with arsenic in Bangladesh. This result from irrigation
water contaminated with arsenic and leads to problems in human health. Mycorrhizal
fungi have their most significant effect on P uptake and have also been shown to reduce
arsenic contamination 10 the crops. The present experiment was performed to know the
mycorrhizal status of different crops root collected from different arsenic affected
villages of Manikganj district. This study also determined the role of arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi on crops growth in arsenic amended soil. Three crops (tomato. radish
and garlic) were grown in arsenic amended soils with or without mycorrhizal inoculation.
Three levels of arsenic concentrations (1 Oppm, IOOppm and 500ppm) were used. At
higher concentration of arsenic, the seed germination was affected more than the other
treatments. A positive germination response to AMF inoculation was observed in all the
selected crops. In case of garlic, the seed germination, all physical growth was higher at
500ppm treated pots but lower in other two crops. In case of tomato and radish shoot
height, root length, number of leaves, both fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots,
mycorrhizal root colonization and percent vigor were higher in AMF inoculated pots in
comparison to their respective treatments and decreased significantly with the increase
rate of arsenic concentrations. Higher nutrient uptake and less arsenic content were
recorded in rnycorrhiza inoculated plants. The findings indicate that AMF inoculation not
only minimize arsenic toxicity but also can increase growth and nutrient uptake of crops.
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Agriculture,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka
in Partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS)
IN
PLANT PATHOLOGY
