| Summary: | The effect of autoclaving soil an uesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAAl) Jungal colonization and biomass
production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) was assessed in pot experiments under greenhouse
conditions. Four treatments were given viz., (1) VAM-free plants in autoclaued soil, (2) VAM plants in
autoclaued soil, (3) VAM plants in autoclaved soil amended with VAM-free filtrate of non-autoclaved soil, and
(4) VAM plants in non-auloclaved soil. The VAM plants grown in non-autoclaued soil showed the highest root
colonization of 87.78% while those under (2) and (3) showed only 55.11 % and 56.94% respectiuely. On the
other hand, significantly higher shoot length (105.4 cm2/plant), wtal kaJ area (740.3 cm2/plant) and biomass
(8.43 g/plant) were obtained in VAM plants grown in autoclaved soiL VAM-free plants in autaclaved sail had
reduced growth. In treatments 3 and 4 plant growth was intermediate. The results indicate that VAM
colonization and sporulation were favoured under natural conditions, but VAM plants under autoclaved soil
conditions produced maximum growth.
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