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The identification and the evaluation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the level of the root
mycorhization were performed respectively from spores isolated from soil samplings and roots
preleaved from the argan tree rhizosphere of seven sites in the region of Essaouira, Agadir,
Taroudant and Tiznit (southwest Morocco).
Analysis of the results revealed the presence in all samples of different characteristic of arbuscular
endomycorrhizal structures. The frequency of mycorrhization was complete at Taroudant sites and
Toufalazte (F = 100%) and between 50% and 33.33% in the Tamanar, Ait Melloul and Tiznit sites.
The mycorrhizal intensity is high at the site of Toufalazte (57%) and low in Ait Melloul sites and
Tiznit (between 1.83% and 1.93). Furthermore, the arbuscular contents are higher at the site of
Toufalazte (24.16%) and lowest in the site of Tiznit (0.082%). The vesicular contents ranged from
0.21% (Ait Melloul) and 34.14% (Toufalazte). The density of spores in the rhizosphere of Argania
spinosa also varied between 188 spores / 100 g soil (Toufalazte), and 28 and 44 spores / 100g of soil
(Tiznit and Ait Melloul).
The identification of isolated spores allowed to note the presence of 26 species of mycorrhizal fungi,
divided into five genera (Glomus Scutellospora, Entrophospora, Pacispora, Gigaspora). Glomus
etunicatum is the most abundant species, its frequency of occurrence reached 16.26%.
Keywords: Morocco, Argania spinosa, rhizosphere, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), diversity.