Diversity and regenerative efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi isolated from natural forest soils

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are central to soil biochemical processes involving carbon stabilization and the formation of aggregates. This study isolated native AM fungi from evergreen, deciduous, and degraded forest soils in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. The regenerative efficiency of twenty-two AM fungal isolates, primarily from Glomus and Acaulospora genera, was assessed under controlled conditions using wheat as a test crop. Various biochemical indicators such as organic carbon, glomalin-related soil proteins, microbial biomass carbon, and water-stable aggregates were measured. Notably, the isolate JAMFI-8 exhibited the highest organic carbon content (6.62 g kg⁻¹), microbial biomass carbon (632.87 µg g⁻¹), total glomalin (0.84 mg g⁻¹), and water-stable aggregates (73.89%). These findings underscore the significant biochemical diversity among forest-derived AM fungi and suggest their potential for soil regeneration and carbon stabilization.