Effects of VA mycorrhizae and Frankia dual inoculation on growth and nitrogen fixation of Hippophae tibetana

Through biological inoculation technology, the joint symbiosis of Tibetan seabuckthorn (Hippophae tibetana) in pure culture was identified and the effects of dual inoculation with Frankia and mycorrhizal fungi on the host plants in pot cultures were investigated. The results obtained from the comparative study showed that H. tibetana could form nodules and VA mycorrhiza both in pot and pure cultures. VA mycorrhizae and Frankia can stimulate the growth and the nitrogen fixation ability of host plants, respectively, yet the stimulation of the dual inoculation on the growth and nitrogen fixation ability of the host plants was more significant (p < 0.05): stronger nitrogen-fixing ability, higher VA mycorrhizal development and better growth of seedlings in VAH and HR16 dual inoculation. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.