Abstract
A study was undertaken to evaluate the role of Trichoderma strains on 15N-uptake by maize under greenhouse and field conditions. The Trichoderma strains were isolated from different maize production systems in Guanajuato State, Central Mexico. A total of 39 Trichoderma isolates were obtained, 23 correspond to Trichoderma harzianum (Intra-Genic-Segment). Some colonized the endorhizosphere of maize better than others; however, Trichoderma diversity did not correlate with the maize production system (rainfall vs. irrigation conditions). In greenhouse conditions, biomass production and 15N-uptake were equally variable; maize plants inoculated with selected Trichoderma species (high root colonization) and fertilized with 140 mg N kg-1 soil, showed similar increase in grain yield and 15N-uptake vs. those fertilized with 280 mg N kg-1 soil. Biomass and 15N-uptake directly correlated with the capacity of Trichoderma spp. to colonize the rhizosphere. Under field conditions, the N-fertilizer use efficiency was the highest when maize cv. P30G40 was inoculated with T. harzianum T35 at a N fertilization rate of 180 kg N ha-1 (78%). All measured parameters showed positive effects of inoculation under-scoring the feasibility of inoculants with these fungi based on Trichoderma to increase the N-fertilizer use efficiency applied to maize. Key words: Biofertilizers, N-fertilizer use efficiency, 15N isotope.
Highlights
Ever increasing populations present two important agricultural challenges; one is to enhance food security while ensuring sustainability, the other to conserve natural and biological resources
All maize plants sampled were colonized by the Trichoderma spp. (Figure 1)
There was no correlation between amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-DNA marker groups and the origin of the isolates
Summary
Ever increasing populations present two important agricultural challenges; one is to enhance food security while ensuring sustainability, the other to conserve natural and biological resources. Vera-Núñez et al 479 intensification of agricultural production demands an integrated approach to develop novel land, soil, water and plant resources. In view of the great genetic diversity and prime importance of maize in Mexico, a network of research institutions is developing and applying this integrated approach to maize agro-ecosystems (SAGARPA-CIMMYT, 2012). One of the present contributions has been to use Trichoderma species to enhance N uptake of local maize cultivars in Central Mexico. As some species of Trichoderma are important agents in the control of soil-borne pathogens of plants they have been extensively characterized (Mendoza-Mendoza et al, 2018)
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