Ethno-medicinal and AMF diversity conservation aspects of some weeds of Himachal Pradesh, India

The present investigation was focused on enumeration of medicinal potential of weeds and biodiversity of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with them. For AMF analysis, fourteen medicinal weeds were selected, roots and their respective rhizosphereic soil samples collected from different localities of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh. The results revealed that number of AM spores in the rhizosphere of plant was not correlated to percent of AM root colonization. The highest percentage of root colonization was reported in Solanum nigrum (73.54±07.15 %) and minimum in Ageratum conyzoides (22.22±00.55 %). AM spore count was recorded maximum in rhizosperic soil sample of Parthenium hysterophorus (135.32±06.05 spores per unit 50g soil) and minimum (32.26±04.10 spores per unit 50g soil) in Fumaria officinalis. Twenty five AM species belonging to four genera i.e. Acaulospora, Entrophospora, Gigaspora and Glomus were isolated during course of study. Calotropis procera preserve maximum AM spore richness in their rhizospheric soil followed by Solanum nigrum and least in Amaranthus viridis. Among variety of spores, G. geosporum is most frequently occurred species in studied soil samples. The study confirmed the weeds potential to provide hostile environment for conservation, sporulation and propagation of competent AM spores to ensure their ubiquitous distribution.