Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Characterization from Saline Lands in Arid Oases, Northwest China

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonize land plants in almost every ecosystem, even
in extreme conditions, such as saline soils. In the present work, we report the mycorrhizal capacity of
rhizosphere soils collected in the dry desert region of the Minqin Oasis, located in the northwest of
China (Gansu province), which is characterized by several halophytes. Lycium spp. and Peganum
nigellastrum were used as trap plants in a greenhouse experiment to identify autochthonous AMF
associated with the halophytes' rhizospheres. Morphological observations showed the typical AMF
structures inside roots. Twenty-six molecularly distinct AMF taxa were recovered from soil and
root DNA. The taxonomical diversity mirrors the several AMF adapted to extreme environmental
conditions, such as the saline soil of central China. Knowledge of the AMF associated with halophytes
may contribute to select specific fungal isolates to set up agriculture strategies for protecting
non-halophyte crop plants in saline soils.