MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI PROTECT THE SOIL FROM WIND EROSION: A WIND TUNNEL STUDY

Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with the roots of most vascular plant species and can improve both plant growth and soil structure. Therefore, they are expected to play an important role in reducing soil erosion by wind. However, direct evidence for this is lacking, because it is hardly possible to separate the mycorrhizal effect from all other factors that influence wind erosion in natural environments. Here, we present laboratory wind tunnel experiments, which indicate that mycorrhizal fungi have the potential to substantially increase the protective effect of newly seeded plants against wind erosion. For root balls of two plant species (Lolium perenne and Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpestris), we found that the wind‐induced soil loss decreased significantly with increasing percentage of root colonisation by mycorrhizal fungi. The mean soil loss of non‐mycorrhizal control samples was more than twice as high as the one of mycorrhizal samples for A. vulneraria, whereas no significant difference was observed for L. perenne. These results are all the more remarkable because there was no mycorrhiza‐induced plant growth enhancement. On the contrary, mycorrhizal plants had significantly smaller root systems than non‐mycorrhizal plants in both species. Above‐ground biomass was significantly smaller in mycorrhizal plants than in non‐mycorrhizal plants for L. perenne but only slightly smaller for A. vulneraria. This study demonstrates that mycorrhizal fungi are able to help newly seeded plants to decrease the wind erodibility of soil, even in cases when they do not increase plant growth. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regulation of mycorrhiza development in durum wheat by P fertilization: Effect on plant nitrogen metabolism

The aim of this work was to study the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae on growth and nitrogen (N) metabolism of durum wheat (Tritcum durum) under various P soil contents. The analyses were extended to macro and micronutrient tissue concentrations, nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activities, as well as protein, aminoacids, pyridine dinucleotides and adenine nucleotides. Arbuscular mycorrhiza increased wheat growth in soil in which P availability was low and nitrate was the dominant N form. The root colonization occurred at the highest level in plants grown in limiting soil P and was inversely related to soil P content. The micorrhizal wheat plants contained also the highest concentrations of macro (P, K, Ca, N) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn) as well as free amino acids, protein, NAD, NADP, AMP, ADP, ATP in roots and leaves. In particular, the micronutrient tissue concentrations (Zn, Mn) supported that mycorrhiza actively modulated their uptake limiting interferences and optimizing growth better than the plant roots, like a very efficient “rootstock”. Control plants grown at the highest soil P did not reach the same concentration as the mycorrhizal plants. Nitrate reductase activities in the roots of mycorrhizal plants were higher than in the control ones, while glutamine synthetase activities were highest in the leaves. Protein and amino acids concentrations, as well as AMP, ADP, ATP, NAD(P), and NAD(P)H were also higher than in the control. Among the free amino acids in the roots, the high levels of glutamine, asparagine, arginine, support the view that ammonium was transferred through the arbuscules to the root cells where it was re‐assimilated in the cortical cells, forming high N : C ratio‐amino acids. They were transferred to the leaves where all the other N compounds could be largely synthesized using the carbon skeletons supplied by photosynthesis.     

Influence of bacteria on growth and phosphorus nutrition of mycorrhizal corn

Com plants were grown in a non‐sterile soil in a greenhouse or in hydroponic culture in a growth chamber. We studied the influence of chitinolytic, pectinolytic, P‐solubilizing bacterial isolates, and a collection of bacterial strains on the development of native vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) populations, colonization of roots by the VAM fungus Glomus fasciculatum and their influence on the phosphorus (P) nutrition and growth of plants. As compared with VAM native control, the most potent stimulants for root colonization of soil‐grown plants by the VAM native population was a strain of Agrobacterium radiobacter and isolate H30. All bacteria used significantly supressed shoot fresh weight of mycorrhizal plants (‐13% up to ‐37%), with the exception of Agrobacterium. Under hydroponic conditions, the P‐solubilizing isolate F27 significantly stimulated the intensity of mycorrhiza, the number of arbuscules in roots, and increased both the P concentration and P content in corn shoots (+30% and +35%), than did the VAM fungus alone. Isolate F27 significantly increased shoot dry weight as compared with the mycorrhizal control. The other bacteria did not influence biomass production of corn.     

Effect of triple superphosphate and biowaste compost on mycorrhizal colonization and enzymatic P mobilization under maize in a long‐term field experiment

Phosphorus (P) fertilizers and mycorrhiza formation can both significantly improve the P supply of plants, but P fertilizers might inhibit mycorrhiza formation and change the microbial P cycling. To test the dimension and consequences of P fertilizer impacts under maize (Zea mays L.), three fertilizer treatments (1) triple superphosphate (TSP, 21–30 kg P ha^?1 annually), biowaste compost (ORG, 30 Mg ha^?1 wet weight every third year) and a combination of both (OMI) were compared to a non‐P‐fertilized control (C) in 2015 and 2016. The test site was a long‐term field experiment on a Stagnic Cambisol in Rostock (NE Germany). Soil microbial biomass P (P_mic) and soil enzyme activities involved in P mobilization (phosphatases and ß‐glucosidase), plant‐available P content (double lactate‐extract; P_DL), mycorrhizal colonization, shoot biomass, and shoot P concentrations were determined. P deficiency led to decreased P immobilization in microbial biomass, but the maize growth was not affected. TSP application alone promoted the P uptake by the microbial biomass but reduced the mycorrhizal colonization of maize compared to the control by more than one third. Biowaste compost increased soil enzyme activities in the P cycling, increased P_mic and slightly decreased the mycorrhizal colonization of maize. Addition of TSP to biowaste compost increased the content of P_DL in soil to the level of optimal plant supply. Single TSP supply decreased the ratio of P_DL:P_mic to 1:1 from about 4:1 in the control. Decreased plant‐benefits from mycorrhizal symbiosis were assumed from decreased mycorrhizal colonization of maize with TSP supply. The undesirable side effects of TSP supply on the microbial P cycling can be alleviated by the use of compost. Thus, it can be concluded that the plant‐availability of P from soil amendments is controlled by the amendment‐specific microbial P cycling and, likely, P transfer to plants.     

Rate variables associated with P uptake,utilization and growth of mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal Leucaena leucocephala 1

A sequential harvest experiment was conducted in the greenhouse to determine relative growth rate (RGR), specific absorption rate (SAR) of P, P utilization rate (PUR) and P utilization efficiency (PUE) of vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) and nonmycorrhizal Leucaena leucocephala. Total P content, root length and total dry‐matter yield of mycorrhizal plants were significantly higher than those of nonmycorrhizal plants beginning on 15, 25 and 25 days after planting, respectively. The length of root colonized by Glomus aggregatum increased exponentially with time and leveled off 30 days after planting. In mycorrhizal plants, RGR of roots (based on total root length) was lower than those of RGR of infected roots till 30 days after planting, after which time the trend was reversed. Although, RGR based on dry‐matter yield was higher in mycorrhizal plants than in nonmycorrhizal plants, the differences observed were not statistically significant. SAR of P was higher in mycorrhizal plants than in nonmycorrhizal ones till 30 days after planting. Even though, total P contents and concentrations in mycorrhizal plants were higher than nonmycorrhizal plants, PUR and PUE were higher in nonmycorrhizal plants. These results indicate that, although VAM plants were very efficient in P absorption and accumulation, they were not superior to non‐VAM plants in P utilization. However, plant species forming effective symbiosis with VAM fungi are likely to be successful competitors in nutrient‐poor environments than plants not infected with the fungi.     

Mineral uptake and growth of sorghum colonized with VA mycorrhiza at varied soil phosphorus levels

Mineral nutrient uptake can be enhanced in plants inoculated with vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMF). The effects of the VAMF Glomus fasciculatum on uptake of P and other mineral nutrients in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] were determined in greenhouse experiments for plants grown on a low P (3.6 mg kg^‐1) soil (Typic Argiudolls) with P added at 0, 12.5, 25.0, and 37.5 mg kg^‐1 soil. Enhancements of growth and mineral nutrient uptake because of the VAMF association decreased as soil applications of P increased above 12.5 nig kg^‐1 soil. Root colonization with VAMF without added soil P resulted in increased dry matter yield equivalent to 12.5 mg P kg^‐1 soil (25 kg P ha^‐1). Total root length colonized with VAMF decreased as soil P level increased. Regardless of P added to the soil, mycorrhizal plants had higher leaf P concentrations and contents than did nonmycorrhizal plants. Enhanced contents, but not necessarily concentrations, of the other mineral nutrients were noted in shoots of mycorrhizal compared to nonmycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal plants had enhanced shoot contents of P, K, Zn, and Cu which could not be accounted for by increased growth. The VAMF associations with sorghum roots enhanced mineral nutrient uptake when P was sufficiently low in the soil.     

Root trait plasticity and plant nutrient acquisition in phosphorus limited soil

To overcome soil nutrient limitation, many plants have developed complex nutrient acquisition strategies including altering root morphology, root hair formation or colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The interactions of these strategies and their plasticity are, however, affected by soil nutrient status throughout plant growth. Such plasticity is decisive for plant phosphorus (P) acquisition in P‐limited soils. We investigated the P acquisition strategies and their plasticity of two maize genotypes characterized by the presence or absence of root hairs. We hypothesized that in the absence of root hairs plant growth is facilitated by traits with complementary functions, e.g., by higher root mycorrhizal colonization. This dependence on complementary traits will decrease in P fertilized soils. At early growth stages, root hairs are of little benefit for nutrient uptake. Regardless of the presence or absence of root hairs, plants produced average root biomass of 0.14 g per plant and exhibited 23% root mycorrhizal colonization. At later growth stages of maize, contrasting mechanisms with functional complementarity explained similar plant biomass production under P limitation: the presence of root hairs versus higher root mycorrhizal colonization (67%) favored by increased fine root diameter in absence of root hairs. P fertilization decreased the dependence of plant on specific root traits for nutrient acquisition. Through root trait plasticity, plants can minimize trade‐offs for developing and maintaining functional traits, while increasing the benefit in terms of nutrient acquisition and plant growth. The present study highlights the plasticity of functional root traits for efficient nutrient acquisition strategies in agricultural systems with low nutrient availability.     

Effects of nitrogen feeding for extraradical mycelium of Rhizophagus irregularis maize symbiosis incorporated with phosphorus availability

In terrestrial ecosystems, plants are frequently in symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with mineral nutrients and photosynthesis carbon exchanges in between. This research sought to identify the effects of phosphorus (P) levels on the nitrogen (N) uptake via extraradical mycelium (ERM) and the mycorrhizal growth response (MGR) of maize plants within the AMF symbiosis. Pots were separated into root compartments and hyphae compartments (HCs) with two layers of a 30‐μm mesh membrane and an air gap in between, where only hyphae could pass through, to avoid both N diffusion and root growth effects. Maize plants were inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis with different N fertilization in HCs under two different P fertilization levels. Our results indicated that a strong increase in MGR with low‐P fertilization. The same tendency was not observed with high‐P fertilization, although both had a large increase in P concentration as a potential source of growth in shoot tissue of mycorrhizal plants. Substantial effects (10.5% more N) were observed in the case of high‐P availability for the host plants from ERM fed with N, whereas under low‐P conditions ERM may prioritize P uptake rather than N uptake. The AM fungi increase the uptake of N and P, which are most limiting in the soil with fewer forces from soil resources. In addition, there was still more P accumulated than N due to the high N for ERM with high‐P supply. Low N in HCs corresponded with a lower colonization rate in roots but with high hyphae density in HCs; this result suggest that N and P availability might change the ratio of extraradical to intraradical hyphae length.     

Nutrient uptake and growth of potato: Arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis interacts with quality and quantity of amended biochars

Aims : The aim of this study was to explore interactive effects between quality (types) and quantity (application rates) of biochar as well as of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) symbiosis on the growth of potato plants. Methods : A low P sandy loam soil was amended with 0%, 1.5%, or 2.5% (w/w) of either of 4 types of biochar, which were produced from wheat straw pellets (WSP) or miscanthus straw pellets (MSP) pyrolyzed at temperatures of either 550°C or 700°C. Potato plants grown in pots containing the soils or soil biochar mixture were inoculated with or without AM fungus (AMF), Rhizophagus irregularis. The experiment was carried out under fully irrigated semi‐field conditions and plants were harvested 101 days after planting. Results : Application of high temperature biochar decreased growth, biomass and tuber yield of potato plants, while the low temperature biochar had a similar effect on yield as plants grown without biochar amendment. Total biomass of potato plants were decreased with the increasing rate of biochar. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus inoculation stimulated the growth of potato plants in all organs, increased tuber biomass significantly in 1.5% MSP700 amended plants, and to a lesser degree for WSP700, MSP550, and WSP550. In addition, plant biomass gain was linearly related to N, P, and K uptake, the ratio of P to N in the leaf of plants indicated that all treatments were mainly P‐limited. A multiple linear regression using P uptake and biochar rate as independent variables explained 91% of the variation in total biomass. The single effect of AMF inoculation, type and rate of biochar affected plant N, P and K uptake similarly. While AMF inoculation significantly increased P uptake in potato plants grown in soil with WSP700 or MSP700 despite of the rate of biochar. In general, application of biochar significantly increased AMF root colonization of potato plants. Conclusions : The application of MSP550 at 1.5% combined with AMF stimulated growth of potato the most. Furthermore, the results indicated that the interactive effect of AMF inoculation, biochar type and application rate on potato growth to a large extent could be explained by effects on plant nutrient uptake.     

The Effect of Mycorrhiza Inoculation and Phosphorus Application on Phosphorus Efficiency of Wheat Plants

The effect of indigenous soil and selected mycorrhizal inoculation and phosphorus (P) applications on wheat yield, root infection and nutrient uptake was monitored for two successive years under field conditions. In addition, phosphorus efficiency and inoculation effectiveness (IE) were determined. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants were used as host plants in a Menzilat soil series (Typic Xerofluvents) in the Mediterranean coastal region of Turkey. Three levels of phosphorus were applied with Glomus mosseae to wheat plants over two successive years. Mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased root colonization. G. mosseae-inoculated plants in both years exhibited a two-fold higher root colonization than the indigenous mycorrhizal colonization. Compared with non-inoculated plants, mycorrhizal inoculation increased wheat yield for both years. In addition, increasing P fertilizer levels enhanced the wheat grain yield. In both years, the inoculum efficiency (IE) decreased with increasing P level addition. Phosphorus efficiency is higher under low P application than the higher P application. However, with mycorrhizal inoculation P efficiency is higher than the non-inoculated treatment.

The effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on plant nutrient concentrations were determined: mycorrhiza-inoculated plants exhibited a higher zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) nutrients concentration than non-inoculated plants. After two years of field experiments, it is concluded that mycorrhizal inoculation can be used in large arable areas; however, it is also very important to manage the indigenous mycorrhiza of arable land.     

Mycorrhizal inoculation enhances growth and nutrition of cotton plant

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi (AMF) inoculations may improve growth and nutrient uptake of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plant. Although the importance of mycorrhizal symbioses for growth and nutrient acquisition of cotton plant is known, less is known about mycorrhizal dependency on P and Zn nutrition under low Zn fertile soil conditions. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different of P and Zn fertilizer addition on cotton plant growth as well as Zn and P uptake. Sterilized and non-sterilized low Zn fertile Konya series soil was treated with different levels of P and Zn. Soils were inoculated with two mycorrhizae species like Funneliformis mosseae and Claroideoglomus etunicatum after sterilization. Results showed that mycorrhizal inoculation on plant growth and nutrient uptake has significant effect when soil was sterilized. Cl. etunicatum mycorrhizae species has greater effect than Fu. mosseae mycorrhizae species. Root colonization increased 23–65% due to mycorrhizal amendment. The shoot: root ratio increased by 13 and 22% for non-sterile and sterile condition respectively in mycorrhiza amended soil. Mycorrhizal dependency varies 1–55% and 3–64% for non-sterile and sterile soil respectively on mycorrhizae, P and Zn amended soil. Mycorrhizal dependency analysis showed that cotton plant in both sterile and non-sterile soil conditions depends on mycorrhizae species, P nutrition, however is less depend on Zn nutrition. This study concluded that the inoculation of cotton plant with selected mycorrhizae is necessary under both sterile and non-sterile soil conditions.     

Morphological and physiological studies on densely branched lateral roots triggered by localized phosphate in Sesbania cannabina

Densely branched lateral roots (DBLRs) in Sesbania cannabina are formed in response to patchily distributed phosphorus (P) in volcanic soils. Little attention has been paid to morphological and physiological responses of DBLRs. Here, we investigated the relation between plant growth and DBLR development, enzymatic activities involved in P acquisition, and the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which contribute to P uptake, to clarify the function of DBLRs. We investigated DBLR development induced by localized application of P fertilizer and we compared the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase) and acid phosphatase (APase) between DBLRs and non‐DBLRs. Additionally, plants were grown with or without AMF to investigate the effect of AMF colonization on the numbers of DBLRs and plant P uptake, and we compared AMF colonization between DBLRs and non‐DBLR roots. Secondary to quaternary lateral DBLRs were produced after the primary lateral roots passed near P fertilizer. P_i content per DBLR increased as DBLRs developed, promoting higher shoot growth. Under P deficiency, PEPCase and APase activities increased in non‐DBLR, but were significantly lower in DBLRs in the same plants. AMF inoculation changed the root system architecture by significantly decreasing the number of DBLRs, and AMF colonization was lower in DBLRs than in non‐DBLRs. Our results indicate that DBLR formation is a P‐coacquisition strategy of S. cannabina grown in P‐deficient andosolic soil. Roots that form DBLR are clearly different from non‐DBLR roots in morphological and biochemical response and AMF symbiosis.     

Comparative effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation and phosphorus fertilization on growth and phosphorus uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) plants under drought-stressed conditions

Maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Moench (local variety called Masakwat) plants were grown in a sterilized low-P soil in the greenhouse for 12 weeks. Each plant species was either mycorrhizal with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi, non-mycorrhizal but minimally fertilized with soluble P, or non-mycorrhizal but highly fertilized with soluble P. Drought stress was imposed after 4 weeks at weekly intervals. Under unstressed conditions, leaf area, shoot dry weights, xylem pressure, and soil water potentials were similar for VAM and the two non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized treatments but each of the VAM-infected species had a greater total root length. Total P uptake was similar for the maize treatments but higher for VAM than non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized sorghum treatments. Under drought-stressed conditions, the growth parameters and soil water potential were similar for all maize treatments but they were reduced by mycorrhizal inoculation in sorghum. Greater water extraction occurred in drought-stressed mycorrhizal sorghum. In both plant species, total P uptake and P uptake per unit root length (including unstressed species) were significantly enhanced in non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized treatments compared with the mycorrhizal treatment. Except for the root dry weight of sorghum plants, there were no differences in the growth parameters and P uptake between minimally and highly P-fertilized non-mycorrhizal treatments for either maize or sorghum. The increased total root length in drought-stressed mycorrhizal sorghum plants and the similar infected root lengths in unstressed and drought-stressed sorghum plants may have caused high C partitioning to drought-stressed mycorrhizal roots and therefore caused the reduced growth parameters in mycorrhizal plants compared to the non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized counterparts. The results indicate that P fertilization in addition to mycorrhizal inoculation may improve the drought tolerance of maize and sorghum plants.     

Impact of VAM on phosphorus nutrition of maize with low soluble phosphate fertilization

In a greenhouse pot experiment, maize was grown inoculated with the spores of the VAM fungi Glomus mosseae and Glomas multicaulis or non‐inoculated. Low soluble ferrous phosphate (FePO₄.₄H₂O) was added to the mycorrhized and non‐mycorrhized maize. The fresh and dry weights of mycorrhized plants with added phosphate (P) were higher than in mycorrhized plants without added P or non‐mycorrhized plants with added P. The amount of P in the soil samples from pots with mycorrhizal plants fertilized with P was evidently smaller than those in samples also fertilized non‐mycorrhizal plants. The percentage of P was higher in tissues of fertilized mycorrhizal plants than in those mycorrhized plants without or non‐mycorrhized plants with added low‐ soluble P. These results indicated that plants in VAM symbiosis mobilize P better from low‐soluble P than non‐mycorrhized plants.     

Time-course of heavy metal uptake in maize and clover as affected by root density and different mycorrhizal inoculation regimes

A pot experiment was conducted to test the effect of three microbial regimes on the time course of heavy metal uptake in clover and maize from an industrially polluted soil. The three treatments included: (1) an intact flora of bacteria and fungi, including indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi together with soil microfauna; (2) the indigenous bacterial/fungal flora except AM fungi, reintroduced into sterilized soil; or (3) the same bacterial/fungal flora plus an AM fungus. For the final harvest, two pot sizes were included to assess the effect of root density. Plant uptake of P and heavy metals varied according to plant species, harvest time and soil treatment. For both plant species, shoot concentration of Zn, Cd and Cu decreased and Ni increased with plant age. Plants growing in sterilized soil with reintroduced AM fungi generally grew better, but contained higher concentrations of heavy metals than those colonized by indigenous AM fungi. Plants with mycorrhiza frequently contained more P, Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb in roots and shoots compared to nonmycorrhizal plants. Elevated root/shoot concentration ratios of P and metals indicate a sequestration of metal phosphates in mycorrhizal roots. Mycorrhizal performance was influenced by root density. At low root densities, metal concentrations in mycorrhizal plants were reduced, whereas it had no effect at high root densities when the entire soil volume was efficiently exploited by roots. We conclude that root density data are essential for interpretations of the influence of AM on metal uptake in plants.     

Mycorrhizal fungi effects on nutrient composition and yield of soybean seeds

Nutrient composition and yield of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] seeds are heritable traits affected by environmental factors. This study determined the effects of arbuscular‐mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on seed protein, lipid, and phosphorus (P) composition and yield in soybean grown under a high nitrogen (N) regime. Plants were grown in pot cultures without AM fungi in P‐fertilized (+P) or unfertilized (‐P) soil, or in ‐P soil inoculated with one of the AM fungi Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerd, and Trappe (Gm), Glomus etunicatum Becker and Gerd.(Ge), or Gigaspora rosea Nicol. and Schenck (Gr). Seed yields of+AM plants, as a group, were halfway between those of the +P and ‐P plants. Seed size was highest in Gm plants. Differences in protein concentrations between Ge and Gr and the other treatments were highly significant. Seed P and protein concentrations were not significantly correlated (p=0.162), but a highly significant (r =‐0.949) negative correlation between seed P and lipid concentrations was observed. Phosphorus concentration was highest and that of lipids lowest in +AM plants. Seed yield and nutrient composition were independent of the intensity of root colonization. The seed protein/lipid ratio was highly correlated with seed P concentration and was significantly higher for +AM plants, as a group, than for both +P and ‐P ‐AM plants. Differences in seed dry weight, size, seed/ stem ratio, P content, and protein concentration among +AM plants showed mycorrhiza‐specific host responses. These responses suggest that AM fungi can modify soybean seed development and chemical composition.     

Effects of excess manganese on mineral uptake in mycorrhizal sorghum

Associations between vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and manganese (Mn) nutrition/toxicity are not clear. This study was conducted to determine the effects of excess levels of Mn on mineral nutrient uptake in shoots and roots of mycorrhizal (+VAM) and non‐mycorrhizal (‐VAM) sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench, cv. NB9040]. Plants colonized with and without two VAM isolates [Glomus intraradices UT143–2 (UT1 43) and Gl. etunicatum UT316A‐2 (UT316)] were grown in sand irrigated with nutrient solution at pH 4.8 containing 0, 270, 540, and 1080 μM of added Mn (as manganese chloride) above the basal solution (18 μM). Shoot and root dry matter followed the sequence of UT316 > UT143 > ‐VAM, and shoots had greater differences than roots. Shoot and root concentrations and contents of Mn, phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu were determined. The +VAM plants generally had higher mineral nutrient concentrations and contents than ‐VAM plants, although ‐VAM plants had higher concentrations and contents of some minerals than +VAM plants at some Mn levels. Plants colonized with UT143 had higher concentrations of shoot P, Ca, Zn, and Cu and higher root Mg, Zn, and Cu than UT316 colonized plants, while UT316 colonized plants had higher shoot and root K concentrations than UT143 colonized plants. These results showed that VAM isolates differ in enhancement of mineral nutrient uptake by sorghum.     

Variable inhibition of iron uptake by oat phytosiderophore in five soybean cultivars

Abstract

Greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant growth, and nutrient uptake in saline soils with different salt and phosphorus (P) levels. The following treatments were included in this experiment: (i) Soil A, with salt level of 16.6 dS m^?1 and P level of 8.4 mg kg^?1; (ii) Soil B, with salt level of 6.2 dS m^?1 and P level of 17.5 mg kg^?1; and (iii) Soil C, with salt level of 2.4 dS m^?1 and P level of 6.5 mg kg^?1. Soils received no (control) or 25 mg P kg^?1 soil as triple super phosphate and were either not inoculated (control) or inoculated with a mixture of AM (AM1) and/or with Glomus intraradices (AM2). All pots were amended with 125 mg N kg^?1 soil as ammonium sulfate. Barley (Hordeum vulgar L., cv. “ACSAD 6”) was grown for five weeks. Plants grown on highly saline soils were severely affected where the dry weight was significantly lower than plants growing on moderately and low saline soils. The tiller number and the plant height were also lower under highly saline condition. The reduced plant growth under highly saline soils is mainly attributed to the negative effect of the high osmotic potential of the soil solution of the highly saline soils which tend to reduce the nutrient and water uptake as well as reduce the plant root growth. Both the application of P fertilizers and the soil inoculation with either inoculum mixture or G. intraradices increased the dry weight and the height of the plants but not the tiller number. The positive effect of P application on plant growth was similar to the effect of AM inoculation. Phosphorus concentration in the plants was higher in the mycorrhizal plant compared to the non mycorrhizal ones when P was not added. On the other hand, the addition of P increased the P concentration in the plants of the non mycorrhizal plants to as high as that of the mycorrhizal plants. Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) uptake increased with AM inoculation. The addition of P had a positive effect on micronutrient uptake in soil with low level of soil P, but had a negative effect in soil with high level of soil P. Micronutrient uptake decreases with increasing soil salinity level. Inoculation with AMF decreases sodium (Na) concentration in plants grown in soil of the highest salinity level but had no effect when plants were grown in soil with moderate or low salinity level. The potassium (K) concentration was not affected by any treatment while the K/Na ratio was increased by AM inoculation only when plant were grown in soil of the highest salinity level.     

Response of Two Maize Inbred Lines with Contrasting Phosphorus Efficiency and Root Morphology to Mycorrhizal Colonization at Different Soil Phosphorus Supply Levels

ABSTRACT

A pot experiment investigated the response of two maize inbred lines with contrasting root morphology and phosphorus (P) efficiency to inoculation with Glomus mosseae or Glomus etunicatum compared with non-mycorrhizal controls. Soil phosphorus was supplied at rates of 10, 50, and 100 mg P kg ^?1 soil. Root length, specific root length, and specific phosphorus uptake of maize line 178 (P-efficient) were significantly higher than of line Hc (P-inefficient). Percentage of root length colonized showed the opposite trend regardless of soil P supply level. The two maize lines did not differ significantly in growth response to mycorrhizal colonization. Root colonization rate decreased with increasing soil phosphorus supply. The beneficial effect of the two AM fungi on plant growth and P uptake was greatest at low soil P level and the responses were negative at high P supply. Mycorrhizal responsiveness also decreased with increasing P supply and differed between the two mycorrhizal fungal isolates.     

接种菌根真菌对不同磷效率基因型大豆生长和磷吸收的影响

接种丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)能显著促进大豆生长和对磷的吸收,但不同磷效率基因型大豆对AMF接种的响应还少有报道。为探究接种AMF对不同磷效率基因型大豆生长和磷转运基因表达的影响,以磷高效大豆BX10和磷低效大豆BD2为试验材料进行盆栽试验,设置接菌和不接菌处理,对大豆干重、菌根侵染性状、氮磷养分含量、根系性状,以及菌根诱导的磷转运基因表达进行了分析。结果表明, AMF接种显著促进了大豆的磷吸收,并且接菌效果存在显著的基因型差异,接种AMF显著增加了BD2的地上部干重、磷含量以及植株总磷吸收量,但只增加了BX10的地上部磷含量和总磷吸收量,对植株地上部干重没有显著影响。无论接种与否,BD2的地上部磷含量均显著高于BX10,表明磷低效的BD2具有较高的植株体内磷转运能力。不接菌条件下,两个大豆基因型根系性状无显著差异;接种AMF后BX10的根系体积和根系平均直径均显著高于BD2。BD2的菌根生长反应(MGR)和菌根磷反应(MPR)均显著高于BX10,对菌根依赖性更高。此外,在接菌处理的BD2根系,代表菌根途径磷吸收的磷转运基因GmPT8、GmPT9和GmPT10表达均显著高于BX10;相应地,BD2的总磷吸收量也显著高于BX10。以上结果表明,接种AMF对促进磷低效大豆BD2生长和磷吸收的作用更大,这可能主要是由于BD2菌根途径的磷吸收量较高,体内磷转运效率较高。以上结果将为研究AMF接种对磷吸收的贡献提供理论依据。