Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Influences the Histo-Anatomic Characteristics of Vegetative Organs in Artemisia annua

Recent studies have shown that vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae stimulate plant growth in case of Artemisia annua plants. According to these studies mycorrhization can enhance plant height and biomasses, shoot branching and inter-nodal length, foliar glandular hair density, and nutrient status of shoots and leafs. Contradictory data were obtained in case of leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate. The effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae on roots, shoots and leafs anatomy of A. annua have not been studied yet. The aim of this paper was to compare the microscopic characteristics of the vegetative organs from the Artemisia annua plants treated with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae, with those from the control plants. Rhizophagus irregularis influenced the development of vascular tissues in root and stem of Artemisia plants by increasing their surface in the organs. Mycorrhization also reduced the percentage of lignification in the cortex of the root, increased the percentage of palisade parenchyma in leaf and had a positive effect on foliar glandular hair density. Further investigations are necessary to find out the role of these histo-anatomic alterations in the growth and development of Artemisia plants.