Yield measurements and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
root colonisation
Fully mature pepper fruits were harvested from 139 DAT (5 December 2017)
to 272 DAT (17 April 2018). Mean fruit weight and number and marketable
yield were determined for each experimental plot (replicate). Rotten
fruit and those weighing < 100 g were considered unmarketable
yield.
At the end of the trial, the roots of six pepper plants per experimental
plot were rinsed and subsamples were used to evaluate AMF root
colonisation. The root samples were cleared with 10% (w/v) KOH, stained
with 0.05% (w/v) trypan blue in lactophenol, and microscopically
(Stereo microscope Leica EZ4V, 32x - Leica Microsystems Srl, Buccinasco,
Italy) examined for AMF colonisation. The percentage of colonised root
segments was determined by the gridline intercept method (Giovannetti &
Mosse, 1980).