Back To The Roots: an Analysis of Mycorrhizal Fungi Interaction on Leaf Area and Chlorophyll Content

Abstract

Over four weeks we conducted an experiment with two different plant species, Ratibida columnifera and Helianthus Annuus, to test how the presence of wild and commercial mycorrhizae would affect biomass, leaf area and chlorophyll content. We hypothesized that the presence of mycorrhizae would yield larger biomass than absence of mycorrhizae, and that wild mycorrhizae would outperform commercial mycorrhizae due to the advantage of an evolutionary relationship between local plant and local mycorrhizae. We separated four treatment groups (LI, LN, SI, and SN). Within those different groups we measured leaf length and width, chlorophyll content, and aboveground and belowground bimass. Our hypothesis was supported by the results in one of the plant species tested, Ratibida columnifera with wild mycorrhizae did have larger biomass and leaf LxW. Mycorrhizae has proven to be beneficial for plant growth and wild mycorrhizae has the advantage of centuries of adaptive evolution with local plant species. Commercial Mycorrhizae can be useful, but as far a perennial forbs are concerned, staying natural is best.