Single or mix mycorrhizal fungi inoculum? The potential role of different mycorrhizal fungi

Seeded plants of several grass species were grown in a mix or single culture for a 3-year period, at a site situated inside the Taxiarchis University Forest (Chalkidiki, northern Greece) with sub Mediterranean climate. One hundred 10-litres in volume containers were filled with mix soil from B and C horizons with sandy loam texture and low available phosphorus. The soil parent material was para-gneiss. Ten replicated treatments were inoculated with Gigaspora margarita BEG 34, ten with Glomus intraradices BEG 144, ten with Acoulospora longulata BEG 8, ten with a mixture of the BEG isolates used and ten with a mixture of indigenous species. Plant tissue analysis suggested that accelerated growth occurred after mycorrhizal application. However, significant variations on growth were observed at different fungal treatments and seasons. It is suggested that variations on growth could be explained by differences on the ability to access phosphorus and the limited phosphate source at the soil used, the inter-fungal interactions and the functional compatibility with the host plant.