Ecological evidence of the relationship of Croton draco var. draco Schltdl. & Cham. with mycorrhizal fungi; [Evidencia ecológica de la relación de Croton draco var. draco Schltdl. & Cham. con hongos micorrizógenos]
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Background: There are reports that Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) increase the production of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. The Croton genus has not been widely studied in this aspect. C. draco is an ethnomedicinal species, knowing the relationship and nature of AMF can contribute to obtaining plants in crops with a good quality and quantity of secondary metabolites. Questions: Can the roots of C. draco be colonized by AMF? What type of AMF species can be found in the rhizosphere of C. draco? Could the diversity of AMF species vary depending on the environment? Study sites and dates: The study was carried out in three locations in the state of Veracruz, in 2019. Methods: Tertiary roots of adult trees were processed and observed under a compound microscope looking for AMF spores, hyphae and arbuscules. The diversity and density of spores in the rhizosphere of C. draco was determined in soil samples, comparing the two sites. Data were normalized and parametric tests were performed. Results: Spores, hyphae and arbuscules were observed on the roots of C. draco. The abundance of spores and AMF diversity was different between the evaluated sites. Based on the morphology of the spores, fourteen taxa were recognized, and among them, only two were found in the three sites. Conclusions: C. draco showed structures typical of AMF in its roots. Based on these results we can say that environmental conditions influence the abundance of spores and the diversity of AMF species.
