Abstract: A new bioremediation technique utilizing the symbiotic function between host plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for petroleum contaminated soil was investigated in Northern Shaanxi in 2015. Four species of native plants in Northern Shaanxi studied were Artemisia annu, Artemisia argyi, Caragana korshinskii and Astragalus adsurgens, and AMF species were isolated from the rhizosphere of each species and used to inoculate field grown plants in contaminated soil to test effects of AMF on the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon in soil and to select the best plant-AMF match. It was found that AMF spore densities were highest in soil with 0-5000 mg petroleum/kg soil, and significantly decreased with increasing petroleum concentration. AMF hyphal densities were higher in petroleum contaminated soil than in uncontaminated soil. The inoculation with AMF increased spore density and the percentage of AM colonization. Plant height and dry weight were decreased with increasing petroleum concentration, but both were significantly promoted by AMF inoculation AMF, with plant height increased by 16.77% and dry weight by 22.56%. Degradation efficiency of petroleum hydrocarbon in soil was enhanced by AMF inoculation, and was 15.35% higher than that of uninoculated soil. Among the plant-AMF combinations, Caragana korshinskii and Glomus geosporum was the best for petroleum degradation, and the degradation rate was 73.81% after 2 months. After inoculation with the selected AMF species, degradation rates of petroleum hydrocarbon and petroleum concentration in soil showed an obvious negative correlation, but degradation rates were significantly positively correlated with spore density, plant height and plant dry weight.