Phosphorus uptake and growth of barley as affected by soil temperature and mycorrhizal infection

A glasshouse study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil temperatures of 20, 15 and 10°C on growth and phosphorus (P) uptake of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Galleon) inoculated with Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith. Vesicular‐arbuscular (VA) mycorrhiza formation was significantly reduced as the soil temperature decreased. Plant growth depression due to temperature stress was more pronounced in mycorrhizal plants than in non‐mycorrhizal plants. The lower the soil temperature, the higher was the root‐shoot ratio. The ratio was also higher in non‐mycorrhizal plants than in mycorrhizal plants. Concentration of P in roots was influenced by mycorrhiza. Significant interaction between mycorrhiza and soil temperature was observed for root dry matter and specific P uptake (P uptake per unit weight of root). Compared to non‐mycorrhizal plants, specific P uptake in mycorrhizal plants was higher.