Root development in the Mediterranean shrub Pistacia lentiscus as affected by nursery treatments

Abstract

Establishment of transplanted seedlings of woody shrubs in degraded Mediterranean environments may be aided by nursery treatments that promote development of a deep and effective root system. Experimental treatments of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation and drought modified the root system architecture of Pistacia lentiscus L. AM inoculation did not influence total seedling mass, but inoculated root systems had shorter internodes and were less branched than non-mycorrhizal systems. Drought had a similar influence to AM inoculation, and the effects of AM and drought were additive. Reduction in branching increased root system exploitation efficiency but the concurrent reduction in internode length reduced the soil volume explored.