Effect of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth of Catalpa bungei

Panpan Meng,Shouxia Zhang,Junhui Wang,Huan Feng,Chunyan Wang,Wenjun Ma,Guijuan Yang,Wei Chen

doi:10.33494/nzjfs522022x160x

Abstract

Background: Catalpa bungei is a well-known, valuable, ornamental, high-quality timber tree traditionally cultivated in China because of its excellent quality, decay resistance, wide applicability, and attractive form. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) on the transplant survival rate and growth of C. bungei seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Methods: Two treatments were applied in a completely randomized experimental design: inoculation with Rhizophagus intraradices, and, as a control, soil without inoculum. Results: Four months after inoculation, AMF had colonized 76.05% of plant roots and significantly improved plant growth. With the establishment of the symbiotic relationship, AMF inoculation significantly improved the seedling transplant survival rate by 20%, promoted major growth traits (plant height, basal diameter, leaf area, and specific leaf area), accelerated biomass accumulation (roots, stems, and leaves), and changed the biomass allocation patterns. In addition, compared with non-inoculated treatments, inoculation with AMF increased photosynthetic parameters and chlorophyll contents, elevated major root morphological parameters, changed the proportion of particle sizes of soil micro-aggregates, and promoted the accumulation of nutrients in roots and leaves. Conclusions: The effects on transplant survival, growth and development were more pronounced in C. bungei seedlings inoculated with R. intraradices. Mycorrhizal seedlings of C. bungei can therefore be widely applied in plant transplantation and production practices.

Highlights

Climate change is projected to alter precipitation amounts and patterns and soil moisture availability, all of which have direct impacts on plant growth and nutrient acquisition and, potentially, ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling and losses (Bowles et al 2018)
Transplant survival rate, and growth traits Non arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF)-treated seedlings exhibited no root colonisation by AMF (Fig. 1b), whereas clear colonisation by AMF was observed in AMF-inoculated seedlings
AMF significantly affected the morphology of C. bungei seedlings (Fig. 2a)

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is projected to alter precipitation amounts and patterns and soil moisture availability, all of which have direct impacts on plant growth and nutrient acquisition and, potentially, ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling and losses (Bowles et al 2018). Soil microorganisms are widely recognised as playing an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of soil inorganic and organic nutrients and maintenance of soil quality (Jeffries et al 2003). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which are naturally occurring soil fungi, form a mutualistic symbiosis with the roots of over 80% of terrestrial plant species Reciprocal nutrient exchange is the foundation of a stable symbiosis between AMF and most land plants (Kiers et al 2011; Roth & Paszkowski 2017). AMF are obligate mutualists that benefit from host plants through the receipt of organic carbon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) on the transplant survival rate and growth of C. bungei seedlings under greenhouse conditions

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