Seasonal variation in the infectivity of VA mycorrhizal fungi in annual pastures in a Mediterranean environment

The seasonal variation in the rate and extent of formation of mycorrhizas in pasture soils from two sites in south-west Australia was examined. Undisturbed soil cores were taken on eight occasions throughout the year, sown with Trifolium subterraneum L. and maintained in a glasshouse. At each collection time the extent of formation of mycorrhizas was measured 3 and 6 weeks after sowing. There was no seasonal variation in the extent of mycorrhizas formed in undisturbed soil cores at one site, hut at the other site the extent of mycorrhizas decreased over time. The rate of formation of mycorrhizas was most rapid when cores were collected immediately after the opening rains of the season. Similar species of fungi were present at both sites; however, the rate and extent of infection formed by each species differed between the sites. At both sites the infectivity of A. laevis and fine endophyte decreased throughout the winter months, but the infectivity of Glomus spp. did not change. Neither the total spore number nor an estimate of the number of infective propagules reflected the infectivity of the total population of VA mycorrhizal fungi measured simultaneously at the two sites.