Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi symbiosis and culture media on establishment and growth of micropropagated MM106 apple rootstock

Tissue culture is one of the common methods for propagation of apple clones. However, low survival and poor growth of these plants, after transplanting, limit the widespread use of this technique. The success rate of this method can be increased by using bioagents such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). In this study, effect of mycorrhizal symbiosis and culture media on growth and establishment were studied in acclimatization stage of micropropagated MM106 plants. This study was carried out in greenhouse conditions as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete design (RCD) with two factors including four levels of mycorrhiza species (Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae, Glomus intradices Glomus mosseae and control) and three levels of substrates (peat moss, perlite, peat moss perlit) with four replications. After 15 weeks, some characteristics were measured. Results showed that symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi specially Glomus intraradices could increase plant height, leaf number, roots dry and fresh weight, leaf chlorophyll, Phosphorus, Iron and Zinc levels. Height and fresh weight of roots were increased (1.63 and 1.91 times, respectively) in inoculated plants with Glomus intraradices compared to control. Also, the heightest amount of measured characteristics (except leaf area) was obtained in inoculated plants with AMF and peat moss substrate.