The Effects of Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Desmanthus illinoensis and Monarda fistulosa

Abstract

In our research, we aimed to further the knowledge of the capability and potential of commercial inoculum by comparing its effectiveness to that of wild mycorrhizae on plant growth of two different plant species: Desmanthus illinoensis (DI) and Monarda fistulosa (MF). There were four treatment groups: DI and MF grown in living prairie soil inoculated with commercial mycorrhizal inoculum (LI), DI and MF grown in sterilized prairie soil inoculated with commercial mycorrhizal inoculum (SI), DI and MF grown in living prairie soil without commercial mycorrhizal inoculum (LN), and DI and MF grown in sterilized prairie soil without commercial mycorrhizal inoculum (SN).We predicted that the commercial mycorrhizae treatment in sterilized soil would have the largest average plant biomass, plant height, and average surface area of leaves. Our hypothesis was not supported, but there was a significant difference for the number of leaves found on the plants grown in living prairie soil inoculated with commercial inoculum.