A Preliminary Note on Mycorrhiza formation in Chir Pine on Sand at Different N, P, K Levels

Effect of different levels of N, P, & K on mycorrhizal development in 7 month old chir pine seedlings raised on acid washed sand was determined. Inoculations were done with active and washed mycorrhizal ischolar_mains when seedlings were two months old. Best results were obtained in ½ normal NPK (corresponding to 65 ppm N & P and 19.5 ppm K). Infection was good in ¼ normal NPK and in treatments containing N, K (normal) but without P and moderate in 2 normal P &in treatment where N was absent. Variations in dry weights of seedlings in different treatments were not statistically significant. Mycorrhizal fungi were generally active in inoculum or on ischolar_mains of seedlings as ectotrophic growth or both throughout the experiment. Experiments were conducted on sand culture so that these results may provide a supporting base for further nursery bed experiments to prescribe an optimum fertilizer dosage for both mycorrhiza and the host plant.