Introduction:

The arbuscular mycorrhizal association is the symbiosis between fungi and the roots of plants, which contributes to maintaining ecosystems in a sustainable manner.

Objectives:

To describe the colonization of three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculated in two tree legumes and to determine the morphological type of the symbiotic association.

Materials and methods:

The seeds of Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. and Platymiscium diadelphum S. F. Blake were inoculated with three pure strains of AMF: Rhizophagus manihotis (R. H. Howeler, Sieverd. & N. C. Schenck) C. Walker & A. Schüßler, Funneliformis mosseae (T. H. Nicolson & Gerd.) C. Walker & A. Schüßler y Scutellospora heterogama (T. H. Nicolson & Gerd.) C. Walker & F. E. Sanders. At 105 days, the secondary roots were sampled, clarified and stained with acid fuchsin and trypan blue. The fungal structures were observed under an optical microscope and the colonization percentage was determined.

Results and discussion:

The colonization of the AMF was greater than 60 %. Thin, transparent and cenocitic hyphae, as well as hylopodia and arbuscules, were observed. In P. dulce, S. heterogama tends to produce more arbuscules. In P. diadelphum, the percentages of colonization and fungal structures of the AMF were similar. The morphological association in the two arboreal species was mainly from the Paris type, with occasional presence of the type Arum.

Conclusion:

The inocula of the AMF established high symbiotic association with the legumes studied. The applied techniques evidenced the structures of the AMF inside the root and allowed to identify the morphological association of the symbionts.

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