Inoculation of rue with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alters plant growth, essential oil production and composition

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the inoculation rue (Ruta graveolens L.) with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Rhizophagus clarus and/or Claroideoglomus etunicatum under low and high rates of phosphorus (P) on plant growth and essential oil. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (AMF and P). Plant total dry weight and nitrogen (N) and P contents increased with AMF inoculation and/or high P levels. Essential oil contents ranged from 0.02 to 0.21%, with the highest content observed in non-inoculated plants under low P and the lowest content in plants inoculated with C. etunicatum. Nineteen compounds were identified in the essential oil; the major compounds were 2-undecanone (25.27–41.27%) and 2-undecanol (14.72–30.04%). It was concluded that rue inoculated with C. etunicatum decreased essential oil content, whereas AMF inoculation with high P rates increased plant dry weight and N and P contents.