Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and a mycorrhiza-defective mutant tomato: does a noninfective fungus alter the ability of an infective fungus to colonise the roots - and vice versa?

Abstract

We have investigated whether inoculation of a mycorrhiza-defective mutant (rmc) of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) with an individual arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal species affects subsequent colonisation by another AM fungal species that has different infectivity when presented alone. Inoculum was provided by leek (Allium porrum) growing in 'nurse pots' into which rmc seedlings were planted, and between which they were subsequently transferred.