Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Research Articles

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Growth of Wheat Plant

Mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a green plant and a fungus. The current study was conducted to assess the effect of inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on the growth of seeds of the wheat plant. Triticum aestivum, which is one of the plants that host the fungus, was studied by calculating the wet weight and dry weight of both the root system and the shoot system. In this experiment, roots colonized with AMF were used as a source of injection. Wheat seeds were injected with these roots and compared with other seeds without control injection. The injected plants and uninfected plants were allowed to grow for a period of 75 days. During this period, the plants were harvested over three periods 25, 50, and 75 days. Through this experiment, it was found that AMF have a high efficacy on the growth of the wheat crop, through a positive effect on the growth of the seeds of this host plant. Such studies on AMF are still rare in Libya, so we tried to follow up the previous studies, so we studied this kind of coexistence with this economically important agricultural crop in Libya and the world.

Combined Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Bradyrhizobium japonicum on Growth, Yield and Nodulation in Soybean

Response of soybean for combined application of AM fungi and Bradyrhizobium japonicum were studied in pot culture experiment in completely randomized design (CRD). Dual inoculation of AM fungi and B. japonicum improved growth, yield, AMF colonization and nodulation in soybean plant, in comparison to single inoculation. Increase in the level of AMF inoculation promoted the growth significantly. Dry weight of the plant was 5.54 g/ plant and 6.02 g/ plant in plants treated with B. japonicum and AMF respectively, which significantly increased to 7.36 g/ plant up on combined application. Similar results were obtained in plant height, No. of pods /plant, seed index, nodulation, AMF density and colonization and chlamydospore population in soybean rhizosphere. Thus, the experiment signifies the importance of combined application for the improvement of crop growth and yield.

Influence of biofertilizers on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and physiological modulations for water and fertilizers managing

Biofertilizers constitute a safe way to alleviate the impacts of water shortage and the overload of chemical fertilizers. This work focuses on the effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) on potato's agro-physiological response, beneath the reduction of water, nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers. Five microbioal treatments (C: Control, AMF: Mycorhizae, B1: Bacillus halotolerans, B2: Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B1B2: B.halotolerans+ B.amyloliquefaciens) were tested in arrangement with two nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium (NPK) rates (F1: Entire rate, F ½: Half rate) and three irrigation levels (100 % of crop water requirement: 100 % ETc; 75 % ETc; 50 % ETc) in a two year factorial split plot design. We studied vegetative growth, photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll fluorescence, water status, osmoticums, N, P, K and enzymatic antioxidants accumulation. Data obtained in 2019–2022 showed that AMF and B1B2 biofertilizers were beneficial to improve Root/Shoot, Dry Underground Part/Aerial Part, leaf area (LA), water saturation deficit (WSD), chlorophyll index (SPAD) and tuber yield under 75 % ETc. The photosynthetic promoter effect of biofertilizers under 75 % ETc, compared to 50 % ETc was observed in the following trend B1B2>AMF>B1. The efficacy of B1B2 and AMF were coupled to high catalase (CAT) activity. Potatoes treated with B1B2 were found to be efficient for 75 % ETc in terms of proline accumulation. The AMF was more effective in terms of soluble sugars (SS) accumulation and control of osmotic potential (Ψs). Taking together, the B1B2 and AMF could be regarded as efficient biofertilizers under 75 % ETc, alleviating the impacts of water stress and the problem of excessive fertilization in potatoes.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis enhances the accumulation of plant-derived carbon in soil organic carbon by regulating the biosynthesis of plant biopolymers and soil metabolism

Plant-derived carbon (C) is a critical constituent of particulate organic carbon (POC) and plays an essential role in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Yet, how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) control the contribution of plant-derived C to SOC storage through two processes (biosynthesis of plant biopolymers and soil metabolism) remains poorly understood. Here, we utilized transcriptome analysis to examine the effects of AMF on P. communis roots. Under the AM symbiosis, root morphological growth and tolerance to stress were strengthened, and the biosynthetic pathways of key plant biopolymers (long-chain fatty acids, cutin, suberin, and lignin) contributing to the plant-derived C were enhanced. In the subsequent metabolic processes, AMF increased soil metabolites contributing to plant-derived C (such as syringic acid) and altered soil metabolic pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism. Additionally, C-acquiring soil extracellular enzyme activities were enhanced by AMF, which could affect the stabilization of plant-derived C in soil. The contents of POC (21.71 g kg−1 soil), MAOC (10.75 g kg−1 soil), and TOC (32.47 g kg−1 soil) in soil were significantly increased by AMF. The concentrations of plant-derived C and microbial-derived C were quantified based on biomarker analysis. AMF enhanced the content of plant-derived C in both POC and MAOC fractions. What's more, plant-derived C presented the highest level in the POC fraction under the AMF treatment. This research broadens our understanding of the mechanism through which plant-derived C contributes to the accumulation of POC and SOC induced by AM symbiosis, and evidences the benefits of AMF application in SOC sequestration.

Synergistic Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Germanium on the Growth, Nutritional Quality, and Health-Promoting Activities of Spinacia oleracea L.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the antioxidant germanium (Ge) are promising tools for boosting bioactive compound synthesis and producing healthier foods. However, their combined effect remains unexplored. This study demonstrates the synergistic impact of AMF and Ge on the growth, metabolite accumulation, biological activities, and nutritional qualities of Spinacia oleracea L. (spinach), a globally significant leafy vegetable. Individually, Ge and AMF increased biomass by 68.1% and 22.7%, respectively, while their combined effect led to an 86.3% increase. AMF and Ge also improved proximate composition, with AMF-Ge interaction enhancing crude fiber and mineral content (p < 0.05). Interestingly, AMF enhanced photosynthesis-related parameters (e.g., total chlorophyll) in Ge treated plants, which in turn increased carbohydrate accumulation. This accumulation could provide a route for the biosynthesis of amino acids, organic acids, and fatty acids, as evidenced by increased essential amino acid and organic acid levels. Consistently, the activity of key enzymes involved in amino acids biosynthesis (e.g., glutamine synthase (GS), methionine biosynthase (MS), lysine biosynthase (LS)) showed significant increments. Furthermore, AMF improved fatty acid levels, particularly unsaturated fatty acids in Ge-treated plants compared to the control. In addition, increased phenylalanine provided a precursor for the production of antioxidants (e.g., phenols and flavonoids), through the action of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), resulting in improved antioxidant activity gains as indicated by FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH assays. This study is the first to show that Ge enhances the beneficial effect of AMF on spinach, improving growth and nutritional quality, with promising implications for agricultural practices.

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improves plant biomass and nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients: a meta-analysis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have profound effects on plant growth and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrition. However, a comprehensive evaluation of how plant N and P respond to AMF inoculation is still unavailable. Here, we complied data from 187 original researches and carried out a meta-analysis to assess the effects of AMF inoculation on plant growth and N and P nutrition. We observe overall positive effects of AMF inoculation on plant performance. The mean increases of plant biomass, N concentration, P concentration, N and P uptake of whole plant are 47%, 16%, 27%, 67%, and 105%, respectively. AMF inoculation induces more increases in plant concentrations and storage of P than N. Plant responses to AMF inoculation are substantially higher with single AMF species than with mixed AMF species, in laboratory experiments than in field experiments, and in legumes than in non-legumes. The response ratios of plant N and P nutrition are positively correlated with AMF colonization rate, N addition, P addition, and water condition, while unvaried with experiment duration. The biggest and smallest effect sizes of AMF inoculation on plant performance are observed in the application of nitrate and ammonium, respectively. Accordingly, this meta-analysis study clearly suggests that AMF inoculation improves both plant N and P nutrients and systematically clarifies the variation patterns in AMF effects with various biotic and abiotic factors. These findings highlight the important role of AMF inoculation in enhancing plant N and P resource acquisitions and provide useful references for evaluating the AMF functions under the future global changes.

Investigating the Interactive Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Different Chelating Agents (EDTA and DTPA) with Different Plant Species on Phytoremediation of Contaminated Soil

Heavy metal (HM) contamination in soil poses a severe environmental threat, jeopardizing ecosystem health and potentially entering the food chain through plant uptake. Phytoremediation, a bioremediation technique utilizing plants to remove or immobilize contaminants, offers a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for HM remediation. This study investigated the interactive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and chelating agents (EDTA and DTPA) on the growth of maize (Zea mays L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivated in metal-contaminated soil and their impact on HM uptake by these plants. The findings revealed that AMF and chelating agents have complex interactive effects on plant growth and metal accumulation. Maize (Zea mays L.) shoot dry matter increased with AMF and chelating agents at lower concentrations. Both plants generally showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in shoot dry matter with amendments, with AMF × EDTA (10 mmol/kg) being the most effective for alfalfa. DTPA and EDTA generally reduced the DTPA-extractable metals in soil, suggesting potential for metal removal. However, the effects of AMF on metal availability were variable. Metal concentrations in maize (Zea mays L.) shoots increased with increasing DTPA and EDTA concentrations, while the effects of AMF were more complex. The alfalfa shoot metal content showed varied responses, with EDTA (5 mmol/kg) effectively reducing the metal uptake. In general, treatments involving chelating agents (DTPA and EDTA) tend to result in higher bioaccumulation factor (BF) values compared to the non-treated controls for most HMs in both plant species. Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) treatment alone or in combination with chelating agents also showed that varied effects on HM uptake in both the alfalfa and maize treatments with chelating agents, especially at higher concentrations, generally promoted the greater translocation of HMs in both plant species. Both alfalfa and maize responded differently to treatments, with some treatments showing higher translocation factor (TF) values for certain HMs in one species compared to the other. Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) treatment alone or in combination with chelating agents also showed varied effects on HM uptake and translocation in both alfalfa and maize. Further research is required to optimize remediation strategies that balance plant health and metal mobilization.

Potential Regulatory Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Lipid Metabolism of Maize in Response to Low-Temperature Stress.

The specific mechanisms underlying membrane lipid remodeling and changes in gene expression induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in low-temperature-stressed plants are still unclear. In this study, physiological, transcriptomic, and lipidomic analyses were used to elucidate the physiological mechanisms by which AMF can enhance the adaptation of maize plants to low-temperature stress. The results showed that the relative electrical conductivity and malondialdehyde content of maize leaves were decreased after the inoculation with AMF, indicating that AMF reduced the peroxidation of membrane lipids and maintained the fluidity of the cell membrane. Transcriptomic analysis showed the presence of 702 differentially expressed genes induced by AMF in maize plants exposed to low-temperature stress. Furthermore, lipidomic analysis revealed changes in 10 lipid classes in AMF-inoculated maize plants compared with their noninoculated counterparts under low-temperature stress conditions. Lipid remodeling is an important strategy that arbuscular mycorrhizal plants adopt to cope with low-temperature stress.

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate-soluble bacteria affect ginsenoside compositions by modulating the C:N:P stoichiometry in Panax ginseng.

The biomass production as well as the accumulation of secondary metabolites of plant is highly determined by the absorption of nutritional elements, in particular nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can absorb soluble P and transport it to plants, while phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) can increase the content of solubilizing P in soil. Previous studies have identified the effects of either AMF or PSB inoculation on altering plant C:N:P stoichiometry, whether AMF interact with PSB in promoting plant growth and changing elemental concentration and composition of secondary metabolites by altering plant C:N:P stoichiometry remains ambiguous. In this study, we investigated the effects of inoculation of AMF, PSB, and their co-inoculation AMP (AMF and PSB) on the biomass growth, the C:N:P stoichiometry, the core microorganisms of rhizosphere soil, and the ginsenoside compositions of ginseng (Panax ginseng). The results showed that compared to control or single inoculation of AMF or PSB, co-inoculation of AMF and PSB significantly increased the AMF colonization rate on ginseng roots, increased the biomass of both above and under-ground parts of ginseng. Similarly, co-inoculation of AMF and PSB substantially increased the concentrations of N and P, reduced the ratios of C:P and N:P in the above-ground part of ginseng. The co-inoculation of AMF and PSB also increased concentrations of total ginsenosides and altered the compositions of ginsenosides in both the above and under-ground parts of ginseng. Analysis the rhizosphere microorganism showed that the co-inoculation of AMF and PSB recruited distinct core microorganisms that differ from the control and treatments with single inoculation of AMF or PSB. Our results suggested that PSB inoculation enhanced the positive effect of AMF in improving the absorption of nutrimental elements, altered the C:N:P stoichiometry and, ginsenosides concentration and composition of ginseng, influenced the plant rhizosphere microbial community. These findings offer valuable insights into enhancing plant biomass production and promoting secondary metabolites by improving the plant-fungi-bacterial relationships.

Enhancement of PFAS stress tolerance and wastewater treatment efficiency by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in constructed wetlands

This study aims to explore the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth of Iris pseudacorus L. and treatment efficacy in constructed wetlands (CWs) subjected to stress from per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). The findings reveal that PFASs exposure induces oxidative damage and inhibits the growth of I. pseudacorus. However, AMF symbiosis enhances plant tolerance to PFAS stress by modulating oxidative responses. AMF treatment not only promoted plant growth but also improved photosynthetic efficiency under PFAS exposure. Compared to non-AMF treatment, those with AMF treatment exhibited significantly increased levels of peroxidases and antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, along with a notable reduction in lipid peroxidation. Additionally, AM symbiosis markedly enhanced the efficacy of CWs in the remediation of wastewater under PFASs-induced stress, with removal efficiencies for COD, TP, TN, and NH4+-N increasing by 19–34%, 67–180%, 106–137%, and 25–95%, respectively, compared to the AMF- treatments. In addition, the metabolic pathways of PFASs appeared to be influenced by their carbon chain length, with long-chain PFASs like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoro anionic acid (PFNA) exhibiting more complex pathways compared to short-chain PFASs such as perfluoro acetic acid (PFPeA), and perfluoro hexanoic acid (PFHpA). These results suggest that AMF-plant symbiosis can enhance plant resilience against PFAS-induced stress and improve the pollutant removal efficiency of CWs. This study highlights the significant potential of AMF in enhancing environmental remediation strategies, providing new insights for the more effective management of PFAS-contaminated ecosystems.

Interactive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on the alleviation of salt stress in wheat

Interactive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on the alleviation of salt stress in wheat

Impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on maize rhizosphere microbiome stability under moderate drought conditions.

With an alarming increase in global greenhouse gas emissions, unstable weather conditions are significantly impacting agricultural production. Drought stress is one of the frequent consequences of climate change that affects crop growth and yield. Addressing this issue is critical to ensure stable crop productivity under drought conditions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish symbiotic relationships with plants and enhance their resistance to adverse conditions. Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal associations on the rhizosphere microbiome and root transcriptome under drought conditions have not been explored. Here, we investigated the effects of AMF and drought stress on rhizosphere microorganisms and root transcriptome of maize plants grown in chernozem soil. We used high-throughput sequencing data of bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) to identify rhizosphere microorganisms. Transcriptomic data were used to assess gene expression in maize plants under different treatments. Our results show that AMF maintains the composition of maize rhizosphere microorganisms under drought stress. In particular, the bacterial and fungal phyla maintained were Actinomycetes and Ascomycota, respectively. Transcriptomic data indicated that AMF influenced gene expression in maize plants under drought stress. Under drought stress, the expression of SWEET13, CHIT3, and RPL23A was significantly higher in the presence of AMF than it was without AMF inoculation, indicating better sugar transport, reduced malondialdehyde accumulation, and improved water use efficiency in AMF-inoculated maize plants. These findings suggest that AMF can enhance the resistance of maize to moderate drought stress by stabilising plant physical traits, which may help maintain the structure of the rhizosphere microbial community. This study provides valuable theoretical insights that should aid the utilization of AMF in sustainable agricultural practices.

Progressing beyond colonization strategies to understand arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal life history.

Knowledge of differential life-history strategies in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is relevant for understanding the ecology of this group and its potential role in sustainable agriculture and carbon sequestration. At present, AM fungal life-history theories often focus on differential investment into intra- vs extraradical structures among AM fungal taxa, and its implications for plant benefits. With this Viewpoint we aim to expand these theories by integrating a mycocentric economics- and resource-based life-history framework. As in plants, AM fungal carbon and nutrient demands are stoichiometrically coupled, though uptake of these elements is spatially decoupled. Consequently, investment in morphological structures for carbon vs nutrient uptake is not in competition. We argue that understanding the ecology and evolution of AM fungal life-history trade-offs requires increased focus on variation among structures foraging for the same element, that is within intra- or extraradical structures (in our view a 'horizontal' axis), not just between them ('vertical' axis). Here, we elaborate on this argument and propose a range of plausible life-history trade-offs that could lead to the evolution of strategies in AM fungi, providing testable hypotheses and creating opportunities to explain AM fungal co-existence, and the context-dependent effects of AM fungi on plant growth and soil carbon dynamics.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve the disease resistance of Lycium barbarum to root rot by activating phenylpropane metabolism.

Root rot is one of the common diseases of Lycium barbarum. Pathogens can cause devastating disasters to plants after infecting host plants. This study investigated the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Rhizophagus intraradices inoculation on phenylpropane metabolism in L. barbarum and evaluated its resistance to root rot. The experiment was set up with AMF inoculation treatments (inoculated or not) and root rot pathogen-Fusarium solani inoculation treatments (inoculated or not). The results showed that AMF was able to form a symbiosis with the root system of L. barbarum, thereby promoting plant growth significantly and increasing plants' resistance to disease stress. The plant height of AMF-colonized L. barbarum increased by 24.83% compared to non-inoculated diseased plants. After inoculation with AMF, the plant defense response induced by pathogen infection was stronger. When the enzyme activity of the leaves reached the maximum after the onset of mycorrhizal L. barbarum, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumaric acid-CoA ligase increased by 3.67%, 31.47%, and 13.61%, respectively, compared with the non-inoculated diseased plants. The products related to the lignin pathway and flavonoid pathway downstream of phenylpropane metabolism such as lignin and flavonoids were also significantly increased by 141.65% and 44.61% compared to nonmycorrhizal diseased plants. The activities of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase increased by 36.00% and 57.96%, respectively. The contents of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid were also 17.7% and 31.63% higher than those of nonmycorrhizal plants in the early stage of plant growth, respectively. The results indicated that AMF significantly promoted plant growth and enhanced disease resistance by increasing enzyme activities and the production of lignin and flavonoids.

Mitigating nitrogen loss in paddy field microcosms through indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi assemblage

AbstractWhether farmers should consider the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in agriculture is a hotly debated topic. We aimed to investigate the role of indigenous AMF in reducing nitrogen (N) loss from paddy fields via runoff, leaching, NH3 volatilization, and N2O emission. We conducted a pot experiment employing a mycorrhiza‐defective rice mutant (non‐mycorrhizal) as the control, grown in soil containing indigenous AMF. The corresponding AMF treatment used the progenitor of this mutant with the same soil. The plants were fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 6 weeks after sowing. The root colonization was 23% in mycorrhizal rice, and no typical AMF structures were observed in the roots of non‐mycorrhizal rice. Our findings indicated that the mycorrhizal system exhibited lower N concentrations of runoff and leachate further compounded by reduced fluxes of N2O and NH3. This led to 14% decrease (mycorrhizal rice 111 kg N ha−1; the non‐mycorrhizal rice: 129 kg N ha−1) in cumulative N loss within 3 days post‐fertilization. While this AMF effect was consistent across the four tested N loss pathways, differences were observed between NH4+‐N and NO3−‐N in the runoff pathway. Notably, our results revealed no evidence of trade‐offs in AMF effect on N loss among the tested pathways. Additionally, mycorrhizal rice had larger shoots and roots than their non‐mycorrhizal counterparts. Our study underscores the potential benefits of indigenous AMF in paddy fields for mitigating water pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emission.

The Effect of Mycorrhiza and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Supplementation on Zea mays saccharata Sturt. Growth and Productivity Grown on Low Nutrients Soil

Marginal land has low nutrient content (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). Addressing nutrient deficiencies on marginal land requires a strategic approach. Biological fertilizers like Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhance nutrient availability through symbiotic interactions. In addition, organic fertilizers such as compost could provide organic matter and improve soil structure to increase plant growth and productivity. Combining these three fertilizers with the addition of low doses of NPK fertilizer can increase the growth and productivity of maize crops on sub-marginal land. This study aims to determine the effect of AMF, consortium of PGPR, and a low dose of NPK on the growth and productivity of maize and soil nutrients on sub-marginal land by measuring plant growth up to 8 WAP (week after planting) (parameters: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, chlorophyll content, stomatal density) and productivity (parameters: cob length, cob weight with husk, fresh weight, dry weight) and levels of N, P, and K elements at 8 WAP in the soil after planting. All treatments showed an increase in the level of N and K elements, while the P element showed a decrease compared to the control (soil without treatment). Moreover, each parameter did not show a significant difference, but the P2 (Compost + PGPR consortium + AMF + 50% of NPK) treatment showed the best growth and productivity. Overall, the data showed the utilization of PGPR and AMF combination was able to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizer by 50%.

The Effects of Bio-Fertilizer by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria on the Growth and Productivity of Barley under Deficit of Water Irrigation Conditions

Bio-fertilizers are the most important and effective method used to reduce the quantities of chemical fertilizers consumed and reduce dependence on them in agricultural production to avoid their harmful effects on the environment and public health as well as reduce the cost of agricultural production in light of increasing pollution and under adverse conditions for production and climate change. A bio-fertilizer depends primarily on the use of beneficial microorganisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to improve the uptake of nutrients, improve plant growth, productivity, and grain yield. Crop production faces many challenges, and drought is one of the majority of the significant factors limiting crop production worldwide, especially in semi-arid regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of AMF and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), plus three rates of the recommended dose of phosphorus (RDP) fertilizer on yield, yield components, and nutrients uptake, in addition to evaluating the beneficial effects of these combinations to develop Phosphorus (P) management under three levels of irrigation water, i.e., three irrigations (normal or well-watered), two irrigations (moderate drought), and one irrigation (severe drought) on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The results showed that the treatment with AMF bio-fertilizer yielded the highest values of plant height, spike length, spike weight, number of grains/spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index. Moreover, the grain and straw uptake of nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K) (kg ha−1) in the two seasons under the three levels of irrigation, respectively, were superior followed by the inoculation by PSB. While the treatment without bio-fertilizer yielded the lowest values of these traits of barley, the treatment with bio-fertilizer yielded the increased percentage of the grain yield by 17.27%, 17.33% with applying AMF, and 10.31%, 10.40% with treatment by PSB. Treatment with AMF or PSB (Phosphorien), plus rates of phosphorus fertilizer under conditions of irrigation water shortage, whether irrigation was performed once or twice, led to an increase in grain yield and other characteristics compared to the same fertilization rates without inoculation. The results of this study showed that the use of bio-fertilizers led to an increase in plant tolerance to drought stress, and this was demonstrated by an increase in various traits with the use of treatments that include bio-fertilizers. Therefore, it is suggested to inoculate the seeds with AMF or PSB plus adding phosphate fertilizers at the recommended dose under drought conditions.

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as fungal biofertilizer on the growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus l.) in Kebbi

Studies on effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of biofertilizer on growth and yield Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L).The study was carried out in the greenhouse, the department of biology ADAMU AUGIE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ARGUNGU in polythene bags (50g). A total of 420 seeds of Okra were collected from national cereals Research Institute Gwadangaji. A sun dried seeds of the samples was sown in polythene bags and distributed into seven treatments which were used in the study as follows, control (without treatment), biofertilizer only, organic fertilizer only, chemical fertilizer only, organic fertilizer + biofertilizer, 20% chemical fertilizer + biofertilizer, and biofertilizer (two doses). Using complete randomized block design (CRBD). From the result shows that the biofertilizer only in all parameters shows significant differences (P&lt; 0.05) compared with the control, which gives an indication that biofertilizer helped plant growth and been able to provide the plants with nutrients as it promoted rapid growth, increased leaf size, leaf length, number of leaves, number of branches, fresh weight and dry weight of the plant, hastened crop maturity, and promote fruit and seed development. It was concluded from the result of the study that a fungal biofertilizer play a role as biofertilizer. Were it is clear that the use of biofertilizer affect the growth of Okra. Biofertilizer (two doses) do not affect the growth of Okra as biofertilizer (one dose).It may be due to competition of fungi. The combination of treatments with biofertilizer were recommended for the optimum growth and the yield of Okra. The experiment may be repeated using another fungi or mixture of different fungi. Potassium solubilizing fungi, phosphate solubilizing fungi or another N-fixing microorganism. Cultivation of the plants in field instead of the polythene bags, to provide an appropriate environment to the fungi.

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Germination of Terminalia arjuna Plants Grown in Fly Ash Under Nursery Conditions

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Germination of Terminalia arjuna Plants Grown in Fly Ash Under Nursery Conditions

Enhancing olive tree (Olea europaea) rhizosphere dynamics: Co-inoculation effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth- promoting rhizobacteria in field experiments

We investigated the outcome of the interaction between the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizophagus (R) irregularis DAOM 197198 and the Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) (mix of Bacillus megaterium, Burkholdria cedrus and Streptomyces beta-vulgaris) by conducting an olive field experiment. Our data provide evidence that the co-inoculation of R. irregularis and PGPR has important effects on the rhizosphere microbial community. The largest proportional increase was found for the PLFA biomarkers indicative of Gram-negative bacteria (16:1ω9, 18:1ω7 and 18:1ω9), fungi (18:2ω6) and actinobacteria (10Me16:0 and 10Me18:0). Microbial inoculants application of all tested treatments caused a significant decrease in the level of trehalose in the olive rhizosphere. The most pronounced decrease was observed in the plant inoculated with R. intraradices only, suggesting that the presence of AMF may have relaxed the bacterial stress. Co-inoculation of PGPR and AMF significantly improved the nutritional status of olive roots. Specifically, the interaction of PGPR and R. intraradices led to an increase in N (26 %), P (60 %), Fe (25 %), Mn (18 %), Zn (26 %), B (22 %) and Cu (14 %) compared with the control. We also found that the co-inoculation of AMF with PGPR causes a shift in the accumulation of secondary metabolites in olive roots. In particular, the most important effect induced by AMF was an improvement of oleuropein concentration, while co-inoculation of R. irregularis and PGPR positively modulated verbascoside concentration. The novelty of the present work lies in the use of microbial inoculants in the field of olive trees. This approach provided direct information regarding the advantages of using AMF and PGPR inoculants, allowing the reduction of chemical inputs and positively influencing the olive tree performance.