Monosporic Inoculation of Economically Important Horticultural Species with Native Endomycorrhizae under Greenhouse Conditions

Flor Hernandez,Adrien Gallou,Rosalinda Villarreal,Valentin Torres

doi:10.3390/agronomy9030130

Flor Hernandez, Adrien Gallou + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9030130

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Abstract

Research into the symbiotic relationship between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is key for sustainable agricultural intensification. The objective of the present study is to evaluate native AMF at the monosporic level in greenhouse-grown, economically important crops. Agricultural soil samples from three locations (Saltillo, Zaragoza, and Parras) were obtained by combining portions resulting from a zigzag sampling pattern. From these samples, 15 morphotypes were extracted according to a modified Gerdemann’s technique and monosporically inoculated on melon, cucumber, tomato, and onion, 30 days after their sowing. Under a completely random experimental design, 16 treatments with three repetitions were defined. Plant height, root length, stem diameter, total fresh weight, fresh root weight, dry root weight, bulb weight, fresh leaf weight, total dry weight, flower number, leaf number, fruit number, spore number, and percentage of colonization were all evaluated. The results were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey comparison test (p ≤ 0.05), which showed that the monosporic inoculation favors significantly the AMF and the host, while the T6 (Saltillo spore + Steiner modified with 20% of the normal phosphorus concentration) showed a greater response uniformity on onion and melon, which indicates its great potential as an inoculum.

Highlights

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form mutualistic symbioses with 85% of terrestrial plants [1,2,3]
Inoculations of greenhouse onion plants grown in phosphorus deficient soil with 1–7 species of AMF in various combinations demonstrated increases in dry shoot weight, but a reduction in the concentrations of potassium and sulfur; Glomeraceae species had a greater impact on growth and nutrient absorption while Acaulospopra and Racocetra spp
The objective of the present study is to evaluate the response to monosporic inoculation of native endomycorrhizae in melon, cucumber, onion, and tomato plants subjected to low doses of phosphorus fertilization under greenhouse conditions

Summary

Introduction

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form mutualistic symbioses with 85% of terrestrial plants [1,2,3]. Plants from the Amaryllidaceae (onion and leek), Apiaceae (carrot), Asteraceae (lettuce), Cucurbitaceae (cucumber), Fabaceae (bean), and Solanaceae (tomato and bell pepper) families possess a high dependence on mycorrhizal colonization [5]. Inoculations of greenhouse onion plants grown in phosphorus deficient soil with 1–7 species of AMF in various combinations demonstrated increases in dry shoot weight, but a reduction in the concentrations of potassium and sulfur; Glomeraceae species had a greater impact on growth and nutrient absorption while Acaulospopra and Racocetra spp. did not have a significant impact [4]. Inoculation with 2000 spores resulted in increases in dry and fresh fruit weight and root volume, in the absence of salt stress. Dry and fresh weights increased with the inoculation of 1000 spores at all levels of salt stress [7].

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