DIVERSITY AND FUNCTIONALITY OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN Carica papaya L., PLANTATIONS WITH DIFFERENT AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT

Abstract

We study the diversity and function of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi present in papaya plantations (Carica papaya L. Maradol) cultivated under three different agronomic management systems and classified as high technology (AT), medium technology (MT) and low technology and a site not cultivated as a control (PT). Soil samples were collected at two seasons of the year (autumn and winter). Mycorrhizal colonization, diversity, viability and abundance of HMA spores were analyzed. Eight morphospecies of AMF belonging to the genera Glomus, Acaulospora, Gigaspora, and Archaeospora were identified. AT site with contrasting results presented the highest diversity with a Shannon-Weaver index (H’=0.89 in autumn and H’=1.01 in winter) and the lowest viability percentage of spores (13.3% in autumn and 18.7 in winter) and mycorrhizal colonization (8.1% in autumn and 6.9 in winter). The highest number of spores occurred at PT control site (60.17±37.9). The genera Glomus, Gigaspora and Acaulospora occurred at all sites. Mycorrhizal colonization and spore viability decreased as management in agricultural production sites intensified..