Abstract
• Mycorrhizal fungi and hydrogels (water-absorbing polymers) can improve water availability for trees. The combination of both factors for plant performance under water limitation has not yet been studied. • To investigate the influence of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus, hydrogel and the combination of both factors, a drought-sensitive poplar, Populus euphratica, was examined in this study. • After 16 weeks of inoculation, no ectomycorrhizas were found. Nevertheless, P. involutusinoculated poplars displayed increased concentrations of soluble sugars and osmolality, leading to an improved water status. Growth was diminished compared with non-inoculated P. euphratica .T he presence of hydrogels in the rooting medium resulted in increased biomass and higher plant water content and decreased the osmolality of plant tissues. Drought markedly decreased water contents in rooting medium and plants, and leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, and stimulated the root growth, concentrations of soluble sugars and osmolality in plants. Under drought conditions, P. euphratica exhibited osmoregulation by accumulation of low-molecular-weight carbohydrates. • These data indicate that adding hydrogels to soils may improve the plant performance. The reasons for improved osmoregulation by fungi and hydrogels were probably related to their stimulating influence on the formation of soluble carbohydrates under drought conditions. Mots-cles : secheresse / hydrogel / champignon mycorhizien / peuplier / hydrates de carbone
Highlights
Résumé – Le champignon ectomycorhizien Paxillus involutus et les hydrogels influencent les performances de Populus euphratica en condition de stress hydrique. Les champignons mycorhiziens et les hydrogels peuvent améliorer la disponibilité de l’eau pour les arbres
The present study indicates that P. euphratica is unable to form mycorrhizas with P. involutus, many genotypes of Populus species are host trees for this ectomycorrhizal species (Baum and Makeschin, 2000; LangenfeldHeyser et al, 2007; Reddy and Satyanarayana, 1998)
No ectomycorrhizas were found in fine roots of P. euphratica inoculated with P. involutus
Summary
Résumé – Le champignon ectomycorhizien Paxillus involutus et les hydrogels influencent les performances de Populus euphratica en condition de stress hydrique. Les champignons mycorhiziens et les hydrogels (polymères absorbant l’eau) peuvent améliorer la disponibilité de l’eau pour les arbres. Hydrogels may last a few years in the soil before they are degraded into non-toxic components (Holliman et al, 2005) Due to these properties, hydrogels have been used to aid forest establishment and seedling growth in drought-affected areas (Arbona et al, 2005; Hüttermann et al, 1999). The aims of this study were to investigate (i) whether P. euphratica formed ectomycorrhizas with P. involutus; and (ii) to find out whether inoculation with P. involutus, the presence of hydrogels, or both factors together ameliorated the performance of P. euphratica under drought stress To this end, we determined how the water status in soil and plants, plant growth, soluble sugars, sugar alcohols, and osmolality responded to P. involutus, hydrogel and drought treatments in P. euphratica
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