Nodular Micro-Endosymbiontic and Endomycorrhizal Colonization in Elaeagnus latifolia L.: A noble host of Symbiotic Actinorhizal and Endomycorrhizal Association

Elaeagnus latifolia L. belongs to Elaeagnaceae family is uncommon in the North- Eastern states of India. In this study, the target plant species was screened for rhizospheric microbial association for the first time and it is found that it is in a symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen fixing Actinomycetous bacteria, Frankia sp. in root nodules. Moreover, the rhizospheric root samples were also having all the three types of root infection/colonization namely hyphal infection (90 %), arbuscular infection (70 %) and vesicular infection (25 %). The qualitative analysis revealed that the predominant endomycorrhizae in the rhizosphere belongs to three genera viz. Glomus, Acaulospora and Gigaspora. Altogether, 13 species of AM fungi were observed. The diversity of Arbuscular mycorrhizae was retained by Acaulospora spp. (46.6 %), followed by Glomus spp. (40 %) whereas the occurrence frequency of Gigaspora spp. (13.3 %) was found to be the least among all the three genera.