• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.482-492
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• 2000

Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi are known to increase plant growth as well as to enhance salt tolerance of plants where plant roots are colonized by VAM. In pot experiment, pepper was grown in soil containing 0, 200, 400, and $600P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ with and without mycorrhizal inoculum. Pots were irrigated with saline water containing 0.5, 2.0, and $6.0dS\;m^{-1}$. At 0, 200, and $400P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ of three EC treatments, plant hight in mycorrhizal treatments was significantly different compared to nonmycorrhizal treatments. However, plant hight at $600P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ was not different between mycorrhizal and nomycorrhizal treatments. Leaf area at $0P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ of three EC treatments, and $200P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ of $6.0dS\;m^{-1}$ in mycorrhizal treatments significantly increased compared to nonmycorrhizal treatments. However, these increase were not discovered in high salinity and P level. Level of EC affected dry weight, and especially, interection of P and EC, or P and VA inoculation highly affected root dry weight. R/S ratio generally decreased in mycorrhizal treatments. Significantly decreased R/S ratio was shown at 0, 400, and $600P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ of $6.0dS\;m^{-1}$. Chlorophyll content generally increased with decreased salinity and P level where mycorrhizal treatments showed higher chlorophyll content compared to nonmycorrhizal treatments. The benefits of VAM inoculation on fruit production was discovered at only low P level and salinity. Mycorrhizal dependency on dry weight basis was generally shown in $0P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ of three EC treatments and 0.5, $2.0dS\;m^{-1}$ of $200P\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ level. Colonization rate ranged 3.3 to 43.3% and number of spores was 47.7 to 198.3 $100g^{-1}$ soil. Colonization rate and number of spores increased with decreased P level and salinity where there was high correlation ($r=0.858^{**}$) between both. Also improved uptake of mineral nutrients was discovered at mycorrhizal treatments in decreased P level and salinity.