scholarly journals Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Symbiosis in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) under No-tillage and Tillage Practices in a Semiarid Region

Author(s):  
Mahieddine Sebbane ◽  
Sonia Labidi ◽  
Miloud Hafsi

Background: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are root symbionts that improve host plant growth and resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses allowing a sustain plant production particularly under harsh conditions. Methods: The objective of this study is to compare the effect of conventional tillage and no-tillage practices on AMF symbiosis with durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) through the evaluation of root colonization and AMF spore density in the soil of three different sites in a semi-arid region in Algeria. Two sites were conducted under rain-fed conditions and one was irrigated.Result: Mycorrhizal root colonization varied according to the site and the tillage practice, while spore density differed between sites. Spore density was higher in sites under rain-fed conditions suggesting that water deficit stimulate sporulation, while root colonization seems to be limited by drought. No-tillage improved root colonization rates by 54.3% compared to conventional tillage system and this improvement, particularly the arbuscular percentage, was higher under drought conditions. In addition, root colonization rates showed a positive correlation with the organic matter content and pH in the soil and a negative correlation with the available phosphorus in the soil. These results indicate that no-tillage enhance the establishment of AMF symbiosis with durum wheat under semi-arid conditions.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuyu Lin ◽  
Yaoxiong Wang ◽  
Meihua Liu ◽  
Quan Li ◽  
Wenfa Xiao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Nitrogen (N) deposition is a key factor that affects terrestrial biogeochemical cycles with a growing trend, especially in the southeast region of China, where shortage of available phosphorus (P) is particularly acute and P has become a major factor limiting plant growth and productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish a mutualistic symbiosis with plants, and play an important role in enhancing plant stress resistance. However, the response of AMF to the combined effects of N deposition and P additions is poorly understood. Results Our results showed that N deposition significantly increased AMF root colonization rates and spore density, but inhibited both symbiotic relationship and spore propagation. In N-free plots, P addition significantly increased AMF root colonization rates, but did not significantly alter spore density. In low-N plots, AMF root colonization rates significantly decreased under low P addition, but significantly increased under high P addition, and spore density exhibited a significant decline under both low and high P additions. In high-N plots, AMF root colonization rates and spore density significantly increased under P additions. In general, AMF were closely related to the relative content of N and P in the soil. Interactive effects of simulated N deposition and P addition on both AMF root colonization rates and spore density were significant. AMF root colonization rates were significantly negatively correlated with soil moisture. Conclusions Moderate N deposition or P addition can weaken the symbiotic relationship between plants and AMF, significantly reducing AMF colonization rates and inhibiting spore propagation. However, a moderate addition of P greatly enhances spore yield. Soil moisture content is the main factor regulating AMF colonization rates. In the case of interactive effects, the AMF colonization rates and spore density are affected by the relative content of N and P in the soil.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gezahagn Getachew ◽  
Boris Rewald ◽  
Douglas L. Godbold ◽  
Hans Sandén

Eragrostis tef (teff) is a (sub-)tropical cereal crop and a staple food in Eastern Africa. As soil erosion has become increasingly worse in the Ethiopian highlands, we test the hypotheses that 1) eroded soils possess low arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore densities, 2) teff growth is limited by low endophytic fungal root colonization rates and 3) colonization rates and spore densities are additionally reduced by fertilization. A pot experiment was set up to study the effect of cropland soil inoculation using pristine fungal communities (from adjacent forests) or fertilization. AMF spore densities in soil with and without teff and root colonization by AMF and dark septate endophytes (DSE) were related to straw and grain yields. AMF and DSE colonization rates were higher after inoculation, which provides evidence that a low spore density limits teff root colonization in eroded soils. However, teff yields were significantly increased after fertilisation but not inoculation. N-P fertilization further lowered root colonization rates and spore density. We conclude that forest soils serve as a refugium for soil biota in the degraded landscape of the Ethiopian highlands. As both increased AMF and DSE increase the stress resistance of plants, their inoculation potential should be considered when developing sustainable management methods for teff.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5297
Author(s):  
Stavros D. Veresoglou ◽  
Leonie Grünfeld ◽  
Magkdi Mola

The roots of most plants host diverse assemblages of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which benefit the plant hosts in diverse ways. Even though we understand that such AMF assemblages are non-random, we do not fully appreciate whether and how environmental settings can make them more or less predictable in time and space. Here we present results from three controlled experiments, where we manipulated two environmental parameters, habitat connectance and habitat quality, to address the degree to which plant roots in archipelagos of high connectivity and invariable habitats are colonized with (i) less diverse and (ii) easier to predict AMF assemblages. We observed no differences in diversity across our manipulations. We show, however, that mixing habitats and varying connectivity render AMF assemblages less predictable, which we could only detect within and not between our experimental units. We also demonstrate that none of our manipulations favoured any specific AMF taxa. We present here evidence that the community structure of AMF is less responsive to spatio-temporal manipulations than root colonization rates which is a facet of the symbiosis which we currently poorly understand.


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 969-976 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Moyer ◽  
M. J. Clapperton ◽  
A. L. Boswall

Experiments were established on irrigated land at Lethbridge, Alberta, to determine the effect of timing and method of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) termination on weed abundance, soil moisture and N content, cereal yield and colonization of roots by vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. Alfalfa growth was terminated using no, minimum, and conventional tillage in either late summer, early fall, or spring. Herbicide was applied or tillage was used to control volunteer alfalfa, dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber), stinkweed (Thlaspi arvense L.), and kochia [Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrader] before seeding cereals. Dandelion and volunteer alfalfa density tended to be greatest after no-tillage treatments, and poor in-crop alfalfa control likely reduced cereal yields in no-tillage plots. In contrast, the major in-crop broadleaf weed, redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), was most dense (7 plants m-2) in tilled plots. Both wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yields were reduced 9 to 12% after alfalfa termination with no-tillage treatments compared with minimum or conventional tillage. In spring, after seeding, available soil N content averaged 138, 101 and 79 kg ha-1 for conventional-, minimum-and no-tillage plots, respectively; however, fall no-tillage treatments seemed to supply sufficient N for wheat and barley. Soil moisture content tended to be similar after all termination treatments. Wheat and barley responded differently to time and method of termination in terms of seedling root length and colonization by VAM fungi. The percentage of root colonized by VAM fungi was greater on both barley and wheat in no-tillage compared to cultivated treatments. It may be possible to have similar wheat and barley yields after no tillage and tilled alfalfa termination if no-tillage termination is initiated in fall and effective incrop herbicides are used for volunteer alfalfa and dandelion control. Key words: Alfalfa termination, no-tillage, N, vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, weed density


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milene Moreira ◽  
Dilmar Baretta ◽  
Siu Mui Tsai ◽  
Elke Jurandy Bran Nogueira Cardoso

Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Ktze., a native forest tree from Brazil, is under extinction risk. This tree depends on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for growth and development, especially in tropical low-P soils but, despite being a conifer, Araucaria does not form ectomycorrhiza, but only the arbuscular endomycorrhiza. This study aimed at surveying data on the spore density and root colonization (CR) by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in Araucaria angustifolia forest ecosystems, in order to discriminate natural, implemented, and anthropic action-impacted ecosystems, by means of Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA). Three ecosystems representative of the Campos do Jordão (SP, Brazil) region were selected: 1. a native forest (FN); 2. a replanted Araucaria forest (R); and 3. a replanted Araucaria forest, submitted to accidental fire (RF). Rhizosphere soil and roots were sampled in May and October, 2002, for root colonization, AMF identification, and spores counts. Root percent colonization rates at first collection date were relatively low and did not differ amongst ecosystems. At the second period, FN presented higher colonization than the other two areas, with much higher figures than during the first period, for all areas. Spore density was lower in FN than in the other areas. A total of 26 AMF species were identified. The percent root colonization and spore numbers were inversely related to each other in all ecosystems. CDA indicated that there is spatial distinction among the three ecosystems in regard to the evaluated parameters.


2012 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.K. Singh ◽  
C. Hamel ◽  
R.M. DePauw ◽  
R.E. Knox

Crop nutrient- and water-use efficiency could be improved by using crop varieties highly compatible with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Two greenhouse experiments demonstrated the presence of genetic variability for this trait in modern durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum L. var. durum Desf.) germplasm. Among the five cultivars tested, ‘AC Morse’ had consistently low levels of AM root colonization and DT710 had consistently high levels of AM root colonization, whereas ‘Commander’, which had the highest colonization levels under low soil fertility conditions, developed poor colonization levels under medium fertility level. The presence of genetic variability in durum wheat compatibility with AMF was further evidenced by significant genotype × inoculation interaction effects in grain and straw biomass production; grain P, straw P, and straw K concentrations under medium soil fertility level; and straw K and grain Fe concentrations at low soil fertility. Mycorrhizal dependency was an undesirable trait of ‘Mongibello’, which showed poor growth and nutrient balance in the absence of AMF. An AMF-mediated reduction in grain Cd under low soil fertility indicated that breeding durum wheat for compatibility with AMF could help reduce grain Cd concentration in durum wheat. Durum wheat genotypes should be selected for compatibility with AMF rather than for mycorrhizal dependency.


2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios BILALIS ◽  
Vassilios TRIANTAFYLLIDIS ◽  
Anestis KARKANIS ◽  
Aspasia EFTHIMIADOU ◽  
Ioanna KAKABOUKI

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of tillage system and rimsulfuron application on weed flora and growth of maize (Zea mays L. Mitic F1) at a site with no history of pesticide use for the last 5 years. A randomized complete block design was employed with three replicates per treatment (conventional tillage without rimsulfuron application (control), no-tillage with rimsulfuron application (NT+Rim) and conventional tillage with rimsulfuron application (CT+Rim)). The lowest leaf area index, dry weight and yield of maize were recorded in NT+Rim plots. In addition, the highest soil bulk density was determined in NT+Rim plots. Moreover, the rimsulfuron application resulted in significant reduction in the root growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization. The lowest root biomass, root length density, root surface and AM root colonization was found in CT+Rim plots. The lowest weed number and biomass was also observed at CT+Rim plots. Sustainability yield index (SYI) shown that the maize crop is more stable under conventional tillage compared with no-tillage. Our results indicated that root growth was reduced significant by rimsulfuron application but statistically significant lower maize yield was obtained in no-tillage system.


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