Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on the growth and polyphenol production of medicinal plants: Ehretia asperula and Solanum procumben

The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Rhizophagus intradices) on growth and polyphenol production of the two important and popular medicinal plants in Vietnam: Ehretia asperula Zoll. & Mor. and Solanum procumbens Lour. The results showed a significant effect of the fungus on the growth of these two species with the growth indices such as height, weight and P content that were all higher than those of non-AM plants; although the indices of AM symbiosis in the plant roots were not as high as other plants in previous studies. The effect of AM fungus on polyphenol production was different between the two species. In E. asperula, the effect of AM fungi on polyphenol production was not significant; whereas in S. procumbens, AM symbiosis significantly increased polyphenol production in plant biomass, especially in roots. The different growth times of the two species might cause the different effects of AM fungus on polyphenol production.