ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and the main chemical composition accumulation of Dendrobium nobile seedlings. METHODS: Seedlings which inoculated mycorrhizal fungus MF23 grew for 18 months, and were sampled regularly. The stem height and the dry weight of plant organs were measured and the content of dendrobine and polysaccharide were determined to investigate the effect of MF23 on the plant growth and the main chemical composition accumulation of stem. RESULTS: After 18 months growth, the stem height and the dry weight of root, stem and leaf of inoculated seedlings were significantly higher than those of the control, increased by 25.34%, 29.28%, 34.64% and 47.12%, respectively. MF23 increased the highest amount of dendrobine and polysaccharide in stem and also prolonged the accumulation process of polysaccharide. After 12 months growth, the content of dendrobine in both the treatment and the control group reached the highest levels, which were 0.59% and 0.51%, respectively. The content of polysaccharide in the treatment and the control group reached the highest levels after 15 (20.05%) and 12 (17.89%) months growth, respectively. CONCLUSION: Mycorrhizal fungus MF23 significantly promotes the growth of D. nobile seedlings, and had a good application prospects on the cultivation and production of D. nobile.