Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) promote the growth of the pioneer dune plant of coastal areas

The establishment of economic enterprises and the demand for coastal areas for leisure purposes exert great pressure on the dunes, stripping them of vegetation and causing the aggravation of coastal erosion processes. The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a viable alternative to restore dunes, giving their ability to improve soil conditions and plant growth under unfavorable conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AMF on the growth of Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. For the experiment, two treatment groups were set up (16 pots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculum and 16 pots without) over a period of 10 weeks. It was found that C. rosea (Sw.) DC. responded positively to the inoculation with the AMF and the percentages of colonization were 6.4 and 10.2% in the eighth and tenth week of plant growth, respectively. Also, the growth of Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. increased significantly with AMF throughout the experiment. This proved the efficacy of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as promoters of dune plants´ growth, and as potential strategy for the rehabilitation of dunes in the coastal areas. Key words: Canavalia rosea, inoculation, mycorrhizal colonization, dune restoration, re-plant.