Vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae in the Chenopodiaceae and Cruciferae: do they occur?

Members of the Chenopodiaceae and Cruciferae were reported to be nonmycorrhizal by early investigators; more recently, some species in these families have been reported to have low or in some cases high levels of vesicular–arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal infection. In our experiments, a sparse vesicular (chlamydospore) infection by Glomus fasciculatus was found in four species of Chenopodiaceae and two species of Cruciferae but only when grown in the presence of a mycorrhizal companion plant, citrus or onion. No arbuscules were observed in infected roots. Chenopodium album had the highest incidence of infection (5%). Infection was restricted to older tissue and penetration of the vascular cylinder was common, which is atypical of VA mycorrhizae. As hyphae from mycorrhizal companion plants grew through the soil, they encountered older roots of the test plants which probably offered little or no resistance to infection. In documenting the occurrence of VA mycorrhizae in any species, it is important to observe whether the plant is growing by itself or if there are mycorrhizal plants closely associated with it. Also, care should be taken not to confuse common root parasites for the fungal structures of VA mycorrhiza.