Mycorrhizae: Native vs Commercial

Abstract

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The purpose for this study was to differentiate between two types of Mycorrhizae, native vs commercial, and to test the nutrient uptake displayed by growth potential in two different species of prairie grass, Bothriocloa ischaemum, and Andropogon gerardii. There is a limited amount of studies regarding the effectiveness of native vs commercial Mycorrhizae growth potential.

METHODS: The methods used to test growth potential after the introduction of Mycorrhizae into two different species of prairie grass, Bothriocloa ischaemum, and Andropogon gerardii. Measurements were recorded using stem diameter and length over a three-week period; data was then recorded using Excel spreadsheet. At the end of the three-week period all of the plants were harvested in order to calculate their biomass.

KEY RESULTS: The results of our experiment are displayed in our statistical analysis using the SPSS program which revealed a significance P-value in growth of the sterile soil inoculated with commercial Mycorrhizae.

CONCLUSIONS: Our research indicates a significant increase in growth rate and biomass in species inoculated with commercial Mycorrhizae in sterilized soil samples. This further supports our hypothesis and will contribute to a better understanding in future studies when comparing different types of Mycorrhizae.