Further root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in already mycorrhizal plants is suppressed after a critical level of root colonization.

An established arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis suppresses further mycorrhization. It is not clear whether the observed suppressional effect is linked with the level of root colonization or not. In the present work we studied the effect of the degree of root colonization by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae on further root colonization by G. mosseae. At different time points barley plants grown in split-root compartments were pre-inoculated on one half of the split-root system with G. mosseae. Sequential inoculation resulted in different colonization levels. Thereafter, the second half of the split root system was inoculated. The results indicate an enhanced suppression of root colonization on the second side of the split-root system when colonization levels increased on the first side.