Effect of aromatic plant species on vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal establishment in Pistacia terebinthus

The inoculation of Pistacia terebinthus with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and the spread of the infection were studied using a mixed cropping system, under glasshouse conditions, with Salvia officinalis, Lavandula officinalis and Thymus vulgaris colonized by Glomus mosseae as an inoculation method. This method was compared with soil inoculum placed under the seed or distributed evenly in the soil. Indirect inoculation with all the aromatic plants tested significantly increased VAM root colonization of P. terebinthus compared with the use of soil inoculum, although the effect on plant growth was different for each one of the aromatic species used as inoculum source. Inoculation with L. officinalis and T. vulgaris were the best treatments resulting in high VAM colonization and growth enhancement of P. terebinthus.     

盐胁迫对VA菌根形成及接种VAM真菌对植物耐盐性的效应

用盆栽法研究了不同土壤含盐量条件下接种不同VAM真菌菌株对棉花、玉米、大豆和甜瓜耐盐性的影响。结果表明,随着土壤中NaCl水平提高,真菌对棉花、玉米、大豆和甜瓜的侵染率下降,其生长量亦均呈递减趋势但对VAM真菌的依赖性则呈明显递增趋势。接种VAM真菌促进了棉花、玉米和大豆的生长,如在NaCl施入量为0～3g·kg^-1时,接种M₁菌株使棉花干重提高4.6～80.9%;在NaCl施入量为0～2.5g·kg^-1时,接种M₁菌株的玉米干重比对照增加20～109.6%;NaCl施入量为1g·kg^-1时,接种M₁和M₂两菌株使大豆干重分别增加22.1%和10.2%.不同的VAM真菌菌株对同一植物的耐盐性以及同一种VAM真菌菌株对不同植物的耐盐性的影响程度不同。可以认为,VAM真菌与植物共生对植物在盐渍环境中的生存起着重要的作用;接种VAM真菌可以提高植物在盐渍土壤上的生产能力并减轻植物因盐害造成的产量损失。     

Influence of inoculum density of two vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and temperature/light intensity on Trifolium repens

The influence of three inoculum densities of Glomus caledonius and G. epigaeus and two temperature/light intensity conditions was investigated on Trifolium repens. The significance of inoculation was compared to the significance of naturally occurring vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and to application of soluble phosphate fertilizer. Increasing density of inoculum and the highest temperature/light intensity condition tested increased VAM infection, whereas only small differences were found between efficiency of the two introduced VAM fungi. The presence of naturally occurring VAM fungi proved as efficient in establishing infection as the most successful inoculations. Some interactions among the investigated parameters were found for several recordings. The increase in VAM infection was followed by an increase in number of nodules; in uptake of phosphorus, nitrogen, zinc, and copper; and in growth of roots and shoots. The calculated inflow of phosphate, zinc, and copper into roots was not associated with inoculum density, VAM species or temperature/light conditions. Compared to an uninoculated control without application of phosphate, inoculation with the highest spore density increased (after 18 weeks growth) the dry weight of shoot 52 fold and 7 fold for G. caledonius , and 121 fold and 9 fold for G. epigaeus at low and high temperature/light conditions, respectively. It was also found that VAM increased weight per nodule 52% when roots with no or sparse VAM infection were compared to roots with low to maximal VAM infection and 98% when roots with low VAM infection were excluded. Application of phosphate fertilizer enhanced nodulation and growth of non–mycorrhizal plants to a level similar to that of the most heavily VAM infected plants.     

Use of sucrose-agar globule with root exudates for mass production of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

A sucrose-agar globule (SAG) was newly introduced to increase production of the vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungal spores, Gigaspora gigantea and Glomus fasciculatum. An SAG inoculum and a sucrose-agar globule with root exudates (SAGE) inoculum were prepared, and their spore productions were compared with a soil inoculum. When the SAGE was used as the inoculum on sucrose-agar medium plates the number of spores was increased (35% more than the soil inoculum). After the soil inoculum and SAGE were inoculated on an experimental plant, Zingiber officinale, the percentage root colonization, number of VAM spores, and dry matter content were analyzed. It was observed that the SAGE showed a higher percentage of root colonization (about 10% more), and increases in the number of spores (about 26%) and dry matter (more than 13%) for the two VAM fungal spores than the soil inoculum. The results of this study suggested that the SAGE inoculum may be useful for the mass production of VAM fungi and also for the large scale production of VAM fungal fertilizer.     

Acacias respond to additions of phosphorus and to inoculation with VA mycorrhizal fungi in soils stockpiled during mineral sand mining

Three pot experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that the growth ofAcacia spp. in stockpiled soil from two mineral sand mines, could be increased by the addition of phosphorus (P) or inoculation with VA mycorrhizal fungi. In soils from North Stradbroke Island, the dry weight of shoots ofAcacia concurrens was increased by P and by VA mycorrhizal fungi in tailings sand, while in less adsorptive topsoil dry weight was only increased at low levels of applied P. WhenA. concurrens was grown in a layer of topsoil placed over tailings sand, shoot dry weight increased, in response to inoculation with VA mycorrhizal fungi banded between the soil layers.In topsoil from Eneabba, the dry weight of shoots at low rates of applied P was increased by up to 4 times by inoculation with VA mycorrhizal fungi. The response to inoculation in both experiments was due to increases in the uptake of P by the plants.Species of VA mycorrhizal fungi differed in their ability to increase plant growth. However, in soils from both sites, the same fungal species were effective.     

Effectiveness of VAM fungi in nonsterile soils before and after optimization of P in soil solution

Five tropical soils were either not inoculated or inoculated with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus aggregatum. The degree to which VAM effectiveness was expressed in the soils was evaluated prior and after solution P status was adjusted for optimal VAM activity. VAM effectiveness determined by monitoring P concentrations of pinnules of Leucaena leucocephala leaves as a function of time and as dry matter yield determined at the time of harvest, indicated that in three of the soils VAM effectiveness was either very restricted or altogether unexpressed irrespective of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (VAMF) inoculation if soil solution P was not optimized for VAM effectiveness. After P optimization, effectiveness was significantly increased by VAMF inoculation although in four of the soils, densities of indigenous VAMF propagules greatly exceeded that attained by the inoculum after it was mixed with soil. Mycorrhizal fungal inoculation effects varied from soil to soil, depending on the extent to which the effectiveness of indigenous and introduced endophytes was enhanced by P optimization and the similarity of inherent soil solution P concentrations to the range known to be optimum for VAM effectiveness. Of the indicator variables monitored, VAMF colonization was least sensitive to treatment effects followed by shoot P concentration measured at the time of harvest.Contribution from Hawaii Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Journal series No. 3781.Contribution from Hawaii Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Journal series No. 3781.     

Topsoil storage effects on primary production and rates of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal development inAgropyron trachycaulum

Summary A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of stockpiling prairie grassland topsoil for 3 years on mycorrhizal development and root and shoot production of slender wheatgrass. The vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi involved in the symbiosis were also assessed as was the decomposition potential of the soil. During the first week of growth, VAM development in grasses grown in the stockpiled soil lagged behind that observed for grasses in the undisturbed soil. However, by 3 weeks, the mycorrhizal infection in plants in the stockpiled soil had reached levels similar to that in plants in the undisturbed soil. The dominant species of VAM fungi involved in the symbiosis at 8 weeks after planting shifted fromGlomus fasciculatum in the undisturbed soil toG. mosseae in the stockpiled soil. The delay in initial VAM infection and shift in VAM fungal species did not significantly affect plant productivity which was greatest in the stockpiled soil. The greater shoot production exhibited by grasses in the stockpiled soil was attributed to higher levels of NO₃-N in the stockpiled than undisturbed soil. The potential of the soil to decay dead slender wheatgrass roots was not altered by stockpiling.     

水分胁迫下AM真菌对沙打旺生长和抗旱性的影响

利用盆栽试验研究了水分胁迫条件下接种AM真菌对优良牧草和固沙植物沙打旺(Astragalus adsurgens Pall.)生长和抗旱性的影响。在土壤相对含水量为70%、50%和30%条件下,分别接种摩西球囊霉(Glomus mosseae)和沙打旺根际土著菌,不接种处理作为对照。结果表明,水分胁迫显著降低了沙打旺植株(无论接种AM真菌与否)的株高、分枝数、地上部干重和地下部干重,并显著提高了土著AM真菌的侵染率,对摩西球囊霉的侵染率无显著影响。接种AM真菌可以促进沙打旺生长和提高植株抗旱性,但促进效应因土壤含水量和菌种不同而存在差异。不同水分条件下,接种AM真菌显著提高了植株菌根侵染率、根系活力、地下部全N含量和叶片CAT活性。土壤相对含水量为30%和50%时,接种株地上部全N、叶片叶绿素、可溶性蛋白、脯氨酸含量和POD活性显著高于未接种株;接种AM真菌显著降低了叶片MDA含量;接种土著AM真菌的植株株高、分枝数、地上部和地下部干重显著高于未接种株。土壤相对含水量为30%时,接种AM真菌显著增加了地上部全P含量和叶片相对含水量;接种摩西球囊霉的植株株高、分枝数、地上部和地下部干重显著高于未接种株。水分胁迫40d,接种AM真菌显著提高了叶片可溶性糖含量。水分胁迫80d,接种株叶片SOD活性显著增加。菌根依赖性随水分胁迫程度增加而提高。沙打旺根际土著菌接种效果优于摩西球囊霉。水分胁迫和AM真菌的交互作用对分枝数、菌根侵染率、叶片SOD、CAT和POD活性、叶绿素、脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白、地上部全N和全P、地下部全N和根系活力有极显著影响,对叶片丙二醛和地下部全P有显著影响。AM真菌促进根系对土壤水分和矿质营养的吸收,改善植物生理代谢活动,从而提高沙打旺抗旱性,促进其生长。试验结果为筛选优良抗旱菌种,充分利用AM真菌资源促进荒漠植物生长和植被恢复提供了依据。     

Infection by the VA-mycorrhizal fungusGlomus caledonium inHedysarum coronarium as influenced by host plant and P content of soil

The low degree of infection ofHedysarum coronarium L. (sulla) exposed to inoculum of the VAM endophyteGlomus caledonium was investigated. Infection began after a prolonged lag phase and remained at very low levels even after three months’ growth. Neither very high rates of inoculum, nor very low P content of the soil raised the low infection level of the sulla plants. There appeared to be some differences in rate of infection among ten different ecotypes of sulla but the level of infection remained low in all cases. In all tested populations some plants remained uninfected. The low infection rate of sulla may therefore have a genetic basis. It was shown that the growth ofH. coronarium is hardly improved by phosphate fertilization. This may explain the poor response of this plant species, adapted to grow in nutrient-deficient soil, to VAM. Programmes aimed at increasing the productivity in marginal soils through the introduction of efficient VAM endophytes should take into account the fact that certain plant species growing in marginal soils may not always benefit from mycorrhizal inoculation, due to their inherently low mycorrhizal dependency.     

Receptivity of various wheat cultivars to infection by VA-mycorrhizal fungi as influenced by inoculum potential and the relation of VAM-effectiveness to succinic dehydrogenase activity of the mycelium in the roots

Wheat cultivars grown in pots in a greenhouse were inoculated either once or twice with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (VAMF) Glomus mosseae. If inoculum was only added to the soil once (before planting) the cultivars showed differences in subsequent VAM development. If additional inoculum was added ten days after planting, VAM development was much increased and cultivars which remained without VAM after only one inoculum application now became mycorrhizal.Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity decreased throughout the experiment, but this decrease was less rapid in mycelium in twice-inoculated plants.No close relationship between SDH-activity and plant growth (VAM effectiveness) was found.     

Characteristic responses of three tropical legumes to the inoculation of two species of VAM fungi in Andosol soils with different fertilities

The growth and mineral nutrition responses were evaluated of three tropical legumes, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. cv Kuromame), pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan L. (Millsp.) cv ICPL 86009] and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea cv Nakateyutaka) inoculated with two different species of VAM fungi, Glomus sp. (Glomus etunicatum-like species) and Gigaspora margarita, and grown in Andosols with different fertilities [Bray II-P: topsoil (72 ppm), subsoil (<0.1 ppm)]. Percent fungal root colonization was high in cowpea and groundnut but relatively low in pigeonpea in both soil types. Despite the low rate of root infection, significant growth responses were produced, especially in the inoculated pigeonpea plant. In all legumes, shoot dry matter production was favoured by the inoculations. Increases in shoot biomass due to mycorrhizae were greater in the subsoil than in the topsoil. Mycorrhization raised shoot concentrations of P and Ca (in cowpea and groundnut) and P and K (in pigeonpea) in the topsoil. Whereas the P concentration in shoots in the subsoil was not positively affected by VAM fungi, particularly in cowpea and pigeonpea, the concentration of K in such plants was significantly increased by VAM treatment. The results also showed that mycorrhizal enhancement of shoot micronutrient concentrations was very rare in all plants, with negative effects observed in certain cases. Cu concentration, in particular, was not affected by VAM formation in any of the plants, and Mn and Fe in pigeonpea and groundnut, respectively, remained the same whether plants were mycorrhizal or not. In both soils the three legumes responded to Glomus sp. better than to Gigaspora margarita, and the effects of the VAM fungi on each of the crops relative to the controls were greater in the subsoil than in the topsoil. However, shoot growth of groundnut was not affected as much as cowpea and pigeonpea by the type of soil used. In spite of the relatively low infection of its root, pigeonpea was generally the most responsive of the three legume species in terms of mycorrhizal/nonmycorrhizal ratios.     

Enhancement of nitrogen fixation in lentil,faba bean,and soybean by dual inoculation with Rhizobia and mycorrhizae

The combined effect of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM) and Rhizobium on the cold season legumes, lentil and faba bean, as well as on summer legume, soybean, were studied in soils with low indeginous VA mycorrhizal spores. Inoculation of the plant with VA mycorrhizal fungi increased the level of mycorrhizal root infection of lentil, faba bean and soybean. The inoculation with Rhizobium had no significant effect on VA mycorrhizal infection percent, but VA mycorrhizal inoculation increased nodulation of the three legumes. The inoculation with Rhizobium alone significantly increased plant dry weight and N content of lentil and faba bean as well as seed yield of soybean. VA mycorrhizal inoculation also significantly increased plant dry weight and phosphorus content of the plants as did fertilization with superphosphate. Rock phosphate fertilization, however, had no significant effect on plant growth or phosphorus uptake. The addition of rock phosphate in combination with VA mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased plant dry weight and P uptake of the plants. The dual inoculation with both rhizobia and mycorrhizae induced more significant increases in plant dry weight, N and P content of lentil and faba bean as well as seed yield of soybean than inoculation with either VA mycorrhizae or Rhizobium alone.     

Effect of salinity on mycorrhizal onion and tomato in soil with and without additional phosphate

Summary Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAM) are known to increase plant growth in saline soils. Previous studies, however, have not distinguished whether this growth response is due to enhanced P uptake or a direct mechanism of increased plant salt tolerance by VAM. In a glasshouse experiment onions (Allium cepa L.) were grown in sterilized, low-P sandy loam soil amended with 0, 0.8, 1.6 mmol P kg^–1 soil with and without mycorrhizal inoculum. Pots were irrigated with saline waters having conductivities of 1.0, 2.8, 4.3, and 5.9 dS m^–1. Onion colonized withGlomus deserticola (Trappe, Bloss, and Menge) increased growth from 394% to 100% over non-inoculated control plants when soil P was low ( 0.2 mmol kg^–1 NaHCO₃-extractable P) at soil saturation extract salinities from 1.1 dS m^–1 to 8.8 dS m^–1. When 0.8 and 1.6 mM P was added no dry weight differences due to VAM were observed, however, K and P concentrations were higher in VAM plants in saline treatments.Glomus fasciculatum (Gerdeman and Trappe) andGlomus mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) isolates increased growth of VAM tomato 44% to 193% in non-sterilized, saline soil (10 dS m^–1 saturation extract) despite having little effect on growth in less saline conditions when soil P was low. Higher tomato water potentials, along with improved K nutrition by VAM in onion, indicate mechanisms other than increased P nutrition may be important for VAM plants growing under saline stress. These effects appear to be secondary to the effects of VAM on P uptake.     

Effect of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum on the essential oil yield related characters and nutrient acquisition in the crops of different cultivars of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) under field conditions.

The effects of inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomusfasciculatum on the root colonization, growth, essential oil yield and nutrient acquisition of three cultivars of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis); Kalka, Shivalik and Gomti, were studied under field conditions. The VAM inoculation significantly increased the root colonization, plant height, fresh herbage and dry matter yield. oil content and oil yield as compared to non-inoculated cultivars. The effect of VAM inoculation on the root colonization, growth and yield of mint was more pronounced with the cv Shivalik than the cvs Kalka and Gomati, indicating Shivalik as a highly mycorrhizal dependent genotype. VAM inoculation significantly increased the uptake of N, P and K by shoot tissues of mint, but most markedly increased the uptake of P. The VAM-inoculated mint plants depleted the available N, P and K in the rhizosphere soil as compared to non-inoculated control plants, however the extent of nutrient depletion was greater for P than N and K. We conclude that the VAM inoculation could significantly increase the root colonization, growth, essential oil yield and nutrient acquisition of mint for obtaining economic production under field conditions.     

Interactions of Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi,Phosphorus, and Heterodera glycines on Soybean

Effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and soil phosphorus (P) fertility on parasitism of soybean cultivars Bragg and Wright by soybean cyst nematode (SCN) were investigated in field micropiot and greenhouse experiments. VAM fungi increased height of both cultivars and yield of Wright in microplot studies in 1986 and 1987. Conversely, yield of mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants of both cultivars was suppressed by SCN. Soil population densities of SCN were unaffected by VAM fungi in 1986 but were greater in microplots infested with VAM fungi than in control microplots in 1987. Growth of Wright soybean was stimulated by VAM fungi and suppressed by SCN in greenhouse experiments. The effect of VAM fungi on SCN varied with time. Numbers of SCN in roots and soil were decreased by VAM fungi by as much as 73% at the highest SCN inoculum level through 49 days after planting. Later, however, SCN numbers were usually comparable on mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants. Soil P fertility generally had no effect on SCN. Results of a split-root experiment indicated that VAM fungal suppression of SCN was not systemic.     

Effect of VA Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Growth of Asparagus Seedlings

Experiments on asparagus (Asparagus of)icinalis L.) inoculated with VA mycorrhizal fungi were conducted under two fluvo-aquatic phosphorus deficient soils. This study was to examine the growth response of VA mycorrhizae and fertilizer effects on the growth of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal asparagus seedlings in pots and under field conditions. Inoculation with VA mycorrhizal fungi significantly increased mycorrhizal infection and enhanced seedling growth. In treatments of fertilization by different batches of NPK or by different amount of application it was shown that phosphorus was most favourable to VAM activity. Both the prevalance of mycorrhizal infection and the dry weight of seedlings in treatment with NPK in 1:0:1 was similar to that in 1:1:1 and 1:2:1 after inoculation. Further more the prevalance of infection, plant growth and P content in the treatment of 1/2 an amount of NPK in 1:1:1 were even higer than those in full amount of NPK and in non-fertilization. It is indicated that phosphorus uptake and plant growth benefit greatly by mycorrhizal inoculation. Mycorrhizal plant requires only about half as much phosphorus to achieve maximum growth as the uninoculated plants.     

Field nursery inoculation of Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. seedling rootstock with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi

The growth response of Hevea brasiliensis to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi inoculation was assessed in two field nursery sites containing indigenous mycorrhizal fungi (IMF). Seedling rootstocks were inoculated with mixed VAM-fungal species in a factorial combination with phosphorus (P) fertilizer application, and planted in randomised blocks on sandy (site 1) and clayey (site 2) soils. Plants were harvested after 26 weeks for measurements of shoot dry weight (DW), stem diameter, height, mycorrhizal root colonization and leaf nutrient contents. At site 1, VAM increased shoot DW, stem diameter and plant height only in treatments without P applied. Increases in shoot DW due to VAM were 70% greater than the uninoculated controls although this was reduced to 5% when P was applied. At site 2, VAM inoculation also increased shoot DW and stem diameter but the magnitude of the increases was smaller. Shoot DW response due to VAM was only 29%. At this second site, applying phosphate to uninoculated plants did not increase shoot yields further. Leaf concentrations of all nutrients were unaffected by VAM at both sites, except for copper (Cu) which was increased by VAM in treatments where P was not applied. However, leaf contents of P, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and Cu were increased by VAM at site 1, and of leaf nitrogen (N) and K at site 2. These experiments demonstrate that VAM-fungi could be introduced into field nursery sites to improve growth and P uptake by H. brasiliensis. The relevance of VAM-fungi to H. brasiliensis seedling rootstock development and the influence of IMF in determining field responses is discussed.     

Effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and ofagrobacterium radiobacter on maize growth

An influence of dual inoculation with the rhizosphere bacteriumAgrobacterium radiobacter, and the VAM fungi,Glomus mosseae andGlomus sp., on maize growth and mycorrhizal infection was observed. Separate inoculations of bacteria or fungi showed significant positive effects on the shoot biomass production of pot-cultured plants only at the last of three consecutive harvests. Plant biomass production was enhanced substantially after a dual inoculation with bacteria and fungi. Synergistic interaction of fungal and bacterial inoculation and growth stimulation was evident at all three harvests compared to uninoculated plants and also compared to plants inoculated with fungi or bacteria only. The dual inoculation increased the shoot biomass of plants by approximately 30% as compared with control. No significant differences were found in mycorrhizal infection between plants uninoculated and inoculated with bacteria.Agrobacterium radiobacter seems to be compatible with mycorrhizal symbiosis and can act a synergistic partner of some VAM fungi.     

Phosphorus effect on phosphatase activity in endomycorrhizal maize

Success of a mycorrhizal symbiosis is influenced by the availability of phosphorus (P) in the soil. Maize ( Zea mays L. cv. Great Lakes 586) plants were grown under five different levels of soil P, either in the presence or absence of formononetin or the vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith. We detected physiological differences in mycorrhizal roots very early in the development of symbiosis, before the onset of nutrient‐dependent responses. Under low P levels, VAM roots accumulated a greater shoot dry weight (13%), root P concentration (15%) and protein concentration (30%) than non-VAM roots, although root growth was not statistically significantly different. At higher P levels, mycorrhizal roots weighed less than non-VAM roots (10%) without a concomitant host alteration of growth or root P concentration. Mycorrhizal colonization decreased as soil P increased. Formononetin-treatment enhanced colonization of the root by G. intraradices and partially overcame inhibition of VAM colonization by high soil P concentrations. This is the first report that formononetin improves root colonization under high levels of soil P. Acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were closely related to the level of fungal colonization in corn roots. ACP activity in corn roots responded more to soil P availability than did ALP activity (38% more). These results suggest that ACP was involved in the increased uptake of P from the soil, while ALP may be linked to active phosphate assimilation or transport in mycorrhizal roots. Thus, soil P directly affected a number of enzymes essential in host-endophyte interplay, while formononetin enhanced fungal colonization.     

Effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation at different soil P availabilities on growth and nutrient uptake of in vitro propagated coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants

 In a pot experiment, the growth and the nutrient status of in vitro propagated coffee (Coffea arabica L.) microcuttings were investigated for 5 months following vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) inoculation with either Acaulospora melleae or Glomus clarum at four soil P availabilities. Control plants remained P-deficient even at the highest soil P availability while mycorrhizal plants were P-sufficient at all soil P availabilities. Growth of control plants was only improved at the highest soil P availability. In P-deficient soil, neither of the two VAM species improved plant growth. Plant growth increased by 50% following inoculation with either A. melleae or G. clarum when P availability went from deficient to low. No further plant growth improvement was induced by either VAM species at intermediate and high soil P levels. Nevertheless, growth of plants inoculated with G. clarum was still significantly greater than that of non-mycorrhizal plants at the highest soil P availability. Root colonization by G. clarum increased with increasing soil P availability while root colonization by A. mellea decreased with soil P level increasing above low P availability. Soil P availability also affected Zn nutrition through its influence on VAM symbiosis. With increasing soil P availability, foliar Zn status increased with G. clarum or decreased with A. mellea in parallel to root colonization by VAM. This study demonstrates the beneficial effects of VAM inoculation on in vitro propagated Arabica coffee microcuttings, as shown previously for seedlings. This study also demonstrates differences in tolerance to soil P availability between VAM species, most likely resulting from their differing abilities to enhance coffee foliar P status. Accepted: 14 November 1996