Kebede, T.G., Birhane, E., Aylimut, K. -M., & Egziabher, Y.G. 2023 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore density and root colonization in cochineal‑infested Opuntia ficus‑indica plants in northern Ethiopia. Arthropod-Plant Interactions doi.org/10.1007/s11829-023-10005-w

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Notes: This paper analyzed AMF spore density and root colonization of O. ficus-indica population in cochineal-infested and uninfested cultivated areas. Soil depth, season, and altitude were main environmental factors for the result observations. Soil and root samples were collected from the rhizosphere of O. ficus-indica plants. AMF spore density and root colonization were higher in uninfested plants than cochineal infested. Soil available phosphorus showed significant negative correlation with mycorrhizal colonization. AMF–cochineal interaction in O. ficus-indica populations needs to be experimentally tested to understand the facilitative role of AMF to increase the performance of O. ficus-indica plants and to defend against the infestation of cochineal.