DNA sequencing reveals high arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in the rhizosphere soil of Prunus africana trees in fragmented Afromontane forests

Abstract Purpose Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in medicinal plant species, besides their ecological shaping communities. Knowledge about the diversity and structure of AMF communities associated with endangered Prunus fricana is valuable conservation domestication species for its products. Methods We investigated rhizosphere soils P. africana trees occurring four fragmented Afromontane forests found Cameroon (Mount Mount Manengouba) Kenya (Chuka Malava) using Illumina Miseq sequencing 18S rRNA gene amplicons. Results A total 64 virtual taxa (VT) belonging to eight genera were detected, namely Glomus (43 VT), Claroideoglomus (6 Paraglomus (5 Acaulospora (4 Diversispora (3 Archaeospora , Pacispora Scutellospora 1 VT each. heterogama VTX00286 was most abundant common all sites (49.62%). Glomeraceae Gigasporaceae families across sites, while Acaulosporaceae, Pacisporaceae, Archaeosporaceae rare, represented by < 1% detected taxa. Conclusion Our data shows high variable community partially shaped local edaphic factors.