The existence of mycorrhiza in the plant roots may increase phosphorus uptake and thus crop yield. This effect, however, seems to occur only in phosphorus deficient soils. The objetive of this work was to evaluate the effect of soil pH, rates of phosphorus addition, and mycorrhiza inoculation on dry matter yield of corn and on phosphorus uptake. The experiment was run in a greenhouse, using an oxisol, with five replicates per treatment distributed in a completely randomized experimental design. The treatments, a 2x2x2 factorial, were two rates of phosphorus (25 and 100mg P/kg), two pH levels (pH 4.8 and 5.5), and without and with indigenous mycorrhiza inoculation. Forty-six days after germination, the plants were harvested, and the following determinations were done: dry matter of shoots and roots, root length, root radius, phosphorus uptake, and rate and intensity of mycorrhiza colonization. Soil inoculation with indigenous mycorrhiza increased the rates of mycorrhiza colonization in the corn roots, but had no effect on dry matter yield or on phosphorus uptake. Shoot and root dry matter of corn, root length, and phosphorus uptake all increased with the phosphorus added but especially with liming.
Mycorrhiza; phosphorus; pH; corn
