Effect of two mycorrhizal fungi species on ionic competition and ‎morphophysiological characteristics of gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern.)‎

This research was established to evaluate the effect of mycorrhizal symbiosis on nutritional elements absorption, morphological and physiological traits of gloxinia. Plants substrate was containing of zero (control), 8 and 16 V/V of Glomus hoei and Glomus intraradices (GI16, GH16, GI8, GH8). At the end of the experiment, leaf area, number of leaves, flower diameter, number of flowers, fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and carotenoid content and amounts of N, P, K, Mn, Fe and Mg were measured. No significantly differences were observed between treatments in flower number and diameter, fresh weight, chlorophyll b and carotenoid contents. GI16 treatment had the highest amounts of N and Mn and the lowest amounts of Mg, and GH16 exhibited the highest amounts of P and K content. The highest and lowest Fe was absorbed tin GH8 and GI8, respectively. The control treatment showed the lowest amounts of N, P, K and Mn, however it had the highest Mg, but mycorrhizal treatments had the lowest Mg and thereby the lowest contents of chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll. Control plants showed a better growth and significantly differences than mycorrhizal treatments in traits such as leaf area, number of leaves, root length, root volume and dry weight, therefore, it can be concluded that G. hoei and G. intraradices cannot form a successful symbiosis.