Hyphal Elongation of <i>Glomus fasciculatus</i> in Response to Root Exudates

The spore germination rates on water agar of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus fasciculatus were highest at water potentials of −4 to −6 bars. Root exudates from plants grown in a sterile nutrient solution, with or without phosphorus, did not affect germination. Root exudates collected from 2-, 4-, and 6-week-old Trifolium repens cv. `Ladino' seedlings that were deprived of P enabled hyphal growth from germinated Glomus fasciculatus spores of 21.4, 14.7, and 7.6 mm, respectively. Hyphal elongation in the presence of exudates from plants grown with P, or in the absence of exudates, was negligible (&lt;1 mm). Root P at 2 weeks was not significantly different between plants grown with and without P. There were no significant differences between the quantities of exudates from plants grown with or without P at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The data suggest that it is the quality of exudates from plants experiencing P deprivation that is important in stimulating vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal elongation.