Background:

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can form a mutualistic fungus-plant association, however, given the functional complementarity it is expected that if the environment where they grow is altered, these fungi will also change, as well as their capability to establish the interaction. This can be evaluated through the inoculum potential.

Objective:

Our objective was to estimate the number of AMF propagules in four land uses in Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, for dry and rainy seasons.

Methods:

In each season, soil was collected, and the most probable number method was applied and the percentage of total mycorrhizal colonization was estimated.

Results and conclusions:

The total colonization percentage was higher in dry (16.2 ± 1.4) and in the paddock soil (24.59±3.50). Land uses ordered following the number of propagules, remained the same, regardless of the season, paddock> secondary forest> primary forest> maize crop. In both seasons, the paddock soil had the highest number of propagules, while the agricultural management had the lowest values. Agricultural techniques have a very negative effect on the AMF to form the mutualistic association and paddock may be a reservoir of AMF propagules.