Inoculation rate of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi Glomus intraradices and Glomus etunicatum affects establishment of landscape turf with no irrigation or fertilizer inputs

Arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis confers numerous benefits to host plants, including improved tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Although the majority or grasses form an AM symbiosis, little is known of the mycorrhization of turfgrass species. This study was conducted to determine whether two mycorrhizal species, Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith and G. etunicatum Becker & Gerdemann, affected the establishment of a lawn mixture of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), red fescue (Festuca rubra L.), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Turfgrass inoculated with G. intraradices at rates between 40 and 60 mL m(-2) established more quickly than turfgrass inoculated with G. etanicatam when inoculated at time of seeding, with no irrigation or fertilization inputs.