Potensi Aspergillus dan Penicillium asal serasah dipterocarp sebagai endosimbion akar pelarut fosfat

Abstract

The ability of soil microorganisms especially fungi to convert insoluble forms of phosphorus (P) to an accecible form is important for plant growth and development. Aspergillus sp. IPBCC.09.619 and Penicillium sp. IPBCC.09.620 showed phosphate solubilizing capacity in vitro. However, phosphate solubilizer capability and its endosymbiotic capacity with Zea mays and Shorea selanica root have not been studied. This study was aimed to evaluate the potency of Aspergillus and Penicillium from dipterocarp leaf litter as phosphate solubilizer and root endosymbiont. Microscopic observations of Z. mays and S. selanica seedlings before fungal inoculation showed that Z. mays roots were free from endosymbiotic fungi while those of S. selanica bore Dark Septate Endophyte (DSE). DSE occurred on 85% of S. selanica root seedlings and it is assumed that DSE has synergetic function with Penicillium sp. Of the two fungi studied, only Penicillium sp. lives as endosymbiont. Colonization of Penicillium sp. to Z. mays and S. selanica roots started at root hairs and then penetrated epidermal cell through epidermal junction. Some hyphae became lobed within epidermal and cortical cells and fullfiled inoculated cells with tiny hyphae. After 8 weeks inoculation, hyphae came out from the epidermal cells and developed penicillate structure on root surface. Inoculation of Penicillium sp. to Z. mays root at 100% TCP dosage (equal to 60 mg P2O5/plant) increased all of growth parameters, except S. selanica shoot length. Shoot dry weight of Z. mays and S. selanica showed higest response to fungal inoculation as indicated by 82% and 54.7% increases respectively. Colonization of Penicillium sp. to both plants increased P uptake at 60 mg P2O5 /plant dosage (37% and 103% higher than plant control respectively). Phosphorus uptake at 50% P dosage was not significantly different with control. It means, inoculation of Penicillium sp. makes application of P efficient.