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In the arid region of western Rajasthan, India, the effect of different vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMP) were studied on trees (Prosopis juliflora), grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and crops (Vigna aconitifolia) under field conditions. Plants were grown in poor fertility sandy soil with a low indigenous VAMP population. Growth and nutrient uptake of noninoculated plants were compared with the growth and nutrient uptake of VAMP-inoculated plants. After 8 weeks of growth, percent root infection increased 2.9-fold in inoculated plants. At maturity of crop and after 1 year growth of grass and trees, shoot biomass, N, P, K, Zn and Cu concentration were significantly improved in all cases of inoculated plants, although Mn concentration decreased significantly. In general, the effect was most pronounced in tree components (Prosopis julifora), and Glomus fasciculatum was found to be the most effective VAMP under arid conditions. The results suggest that increased uptake of nutrients by plants with VAMP under field conditions may be a general phenomenon which would have important implications for elemental composition of plants. The effect may also be manifested by other types of mycorrhizal association. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited.