Response of maize to mycorrhizal colonization at varying levels of zinc and phosphorus |
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Authors: | Kizhaeral S Subramanian Chandrasekaran Bharathi Asokkumar Jegan |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641 003, India |
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Abstract: | A greenhouse experiment was conducted in a red sandy loam soil (Alfisol) to study the responses of arbuscular mycorrhizal
(AM) fungus Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith inoculated (M+) and uninoculated (M−) maize (Zea mays L) plants exposed to various levels of P (15 and 30 mg kg−1) and Zn (0, 1.25, and 2.5 mg kg−1). Roots and shoots were sampled at 55 and 75 days after sowing and assessed for their nutritional status, root morphology,
and root cation exchange capacity (CEC) besides grain quality. Mycorrhizal plants had longer and more extensive root systems
than nonmycorrhizal plants, indicating that M+ plants are nutritionally rich, especially with P, which directly assisted in
the proliferation of roots. Further, root CEC of M+ plants were consistently higher than those of M− plants, suggesting that
mycorrhizal colonization assists in the acquisition of nutrients from soil solution. Mycorrhizal inoculated plants had significantly
(P ≤ 0.01) higher P and Zn concentrations in roots, shoots, and grains, regardless of P or Zn levels. The available Zn and P
status of AM fungus-inoculated soils were higher than unioculated soils. The data suggest that mycorrhizal symbiosis improves
root morphology and CEC and nutritional status of maize plants by orchestrating the synergistic interaction between Zn and
P besides enhancing soil available nutrient status that enables the host plant to sustain zinc-deficient conditions. |
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Keywords: | Glomus intraradices Maize Phosphorus Root morphology Zinc |
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