Underground Explorers

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities in Dalbergia Sissoo: Comparing Diversity in Wilted and Healthy Groves of Nepal’s Natural and Plantation Forests Ram Bahadur Khadka, Ph.D. Nepal Agricultural Research Council Abstract Dalbergia sissoo (Sissoo) is an ecologically and economically important tree species in Nepal, severely affected by Sissoo wilt disease. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in plant health and stress resistance, yet their association with D. sissoo in wilt-affected and healthy stands remains poorly understood. This study aims to compare AMF diversity and community composition in the rhizospheres of healthy and wilted D. sissoo trees across natural and plantation forests in Nepal. Soil and root samples will be collected from selected groves, and AMF spores will be isolated and identified using morphological and molecular techniques. Differences in AMF richness, diversity, and abundance between healthy and diseased trees, as well as between natural and plantation forests, will be analysed. The findings will provide insights into the role of AMF in Sissoo wilt resilience and contribute to sustainable forest management strategies for mitigating the sissoo decline. Keywords: Dalbergia sissoo, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Sissoo wilt, fungal diversity, Nepal, forest health.