Abstract:
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can establish associations with over 80% of land plants. Most important beneficial effects
for plants are: phosphorus availability, increased resistance to abiotic and biotic stress. Studies regarding the effects of
mycorrhization on ornamental plants in our local pedoclimatic conditions are almost inexistent. The aim of this study
was the evaluation of mycorrhizal inoculum effect over some vegetative characteristics for six Iris germanica cultivars.
The experimental field was settled in Botanical Garden of UASVM Cluj-Napoca. For each cultivar were established
two treatments: non-inoculated and inoculated with mycorrhizae. Results indicate that regarding the percentage of buds
that entered vegetation in spring was higher for inoculated plants compared to non-inoculated plants. Inoculated
cultivars ‘Sultan’s Palace’ and ‘Pinafore Pink’ had a higher number of shoots grown in spring than number of buds
present in autumn. For most of the studied cultivars the mycorrhizae products exercised beneficial effects regarding the
entering in vegetation of buds, or stimulating formation of new buds. This phenomenon is attributed both to mycorrhizal
fungi and auxins added to inoculum.