Tolerance to Cd of Soybean (Glycine max) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) Inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal and Saprobe Fungi

The application of Cd inhibited the development of mycelia of the saprobe fungi Fusarium concolor and Trichoderma koningii and the hyphal length of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus mosseae and G. deserticola in vitro. The application to soil of 25 and 50 mg l–1 of Cd decreased the shoot dry weight, the percentage of AM root length colonization and the succinate dehydrogenase activity of AM mycelia of soybean (Glycine max L.) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.), respectively. However, G. deserticola increased the shoot dry weight of eucalyptus, compared with non AM inoculated control, in presence of 50 mg l–1 of Cd. When 50 mg l–1 of Cd was applied, T. koningii increased the effect of G. deserticola on shoot dry weight of eucalyptus. There was higher Cd accumulation in the plants when this metal was applied at low doses, and the AM and saprobe fungi increased the accumulation of *The author to whom correspondence should be sent. 0334-5114/2004/$05.50 ©2004 Balaban 2 C.A. ARRIAGADA ET AL. the metal in the plants. The highest Cd uptake was observed in the shoot of eucalyptus inoculated with G. deserticola plus T. koningii in presence of 50 mg l–1 of Cd. In eucalyptus Cd was accumulated in the stem more than in the leaves. In presence of 50 mg l–1 of Cd the highest accumulation of this metal in the stem took place when eucalyptus was inoculated with G. deserticola together with T. koningii.