EFFECT OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZATION ON WHEAT YIELD AND ROOT SURFACE FUNGI Nivien A. Nafady*, Mohamed B. H. Mazen *, Ahmad M. Moharram*, Osama N. Massoud**, Samar A. Khallaf***

The current study is designed to evaluate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphorus fertilizers (superphosphate & rock phosphate) on growth, productivity and nutrient uptake of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.). Mycorrhizal inoculated wheat plants were significantly high in terms of growth, productivity parameters and nutrient uptake than non-inoculated plants at all phosphate fertilizers levels. It was observed that AMF root colonization was high in plants treated with low level of rock phosphate (25%), which decreased progressively with increasing fertility level of rock phosphate. The yield components of mycorrhizal treated plants in the presence of superphosphate and rock phosphate levels significantly rose as compared with non-mycorrhizal treated plants. The results revealed that AMF with low levels (25% & 50%) of phosphate fertilizers had a high significant effect on the three nutrient elements including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the seeds and shoots of wheat compared with non-mycorrhizal treated plants. A total of 8 species belonging to 3 genera were isolated from 10 soils grown with wheat plants treated with different levels of superphosphate and rock phosphate and inoculated with or without mycorrhizal fungi. Meanwhile, 13 species representing 6 genera were isolated from 10 wheat root samples. As a conclusion, cultivation of wheat plant in the presence of mycorrhiza with low levels of fertilizers improved the growth, nutrient uptake and productivity values of wheat plants.