Mycorrhizal root colonization in maize fields is more affected by soil management and climate conditions than by plant genotype.

This work aims to characterize the arbuscular mycorrhizal association between maize genotypes and the effects of soil physical-chemical attributes on the symbiosis. A preliminary greenhouse assay evaluated five maize landraces and five conventional modern genotypes in non-sterile, low-P soil. Sixty days after sowing, we measured plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry biomass, root colonization structures, and shoot P concentration and total accumulation.