The role of proteins in the nitrogen nutrition of ectomycorrhizal plants. V. Nitrogen transfer in birch (Betula pendula) grown in association with mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal fungi

AbstractExperiments showed that biodiversity increases grassland productivity and nutrient exploitation, potentially reducing fertiliser needs. Enhancing biodiversity could improve P-use efficiency of grasslands, which is beneficial given that rock-derived P fertilisers are expected to become scarce in the future. Here, we show in a biodiversity experiment that more diverse plant communities were able to exploit P resources more completely than less diverse ones. In the agricultural grasslands that we studied, management effects either overruled or modified the driving role of plant diversity observed in the biodiversity experiment. Nevertheless, we show that greater above- (plants) and belowground (mycorrhizal fungi) biodiversity contributed to tightening the P cycle in agricultural grasslands, as reduced management intensity and the associated increased biodiversity fostered the exploitation of P resources. Our results demonstrate that promoting a high above- and belowground biodiversity has ecological (biodiversity protection) and economical (fertiliser savings) benefits. Such win-win situations for farmers and biodiversity are crucial to convince farmers of the benefits of biodiversity and thus counteract global biodiversity loss.

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The Effect of Mycorrhizal Fungi and PGPR on Tree Nutritional Status and Growth in Organic Apple Production

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11071402 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1402

Author(s):

Sebastian Przybyłko ◽

Wojciech Kowalczyk ◽

Dariusz Wrona

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Status ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Nitrogen Nutrition ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Plant Competition ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Organic Fertilizers ◽

Nutrition Status ◽

Tree Roots

The desire to reduce the negative impact of crops on the environment, as well as the growing concern for consumer health, is increasing interest in organic fruit production. In this context, the development of new environmentally friendly agrotechnical methods which allows for reducing the use of organic fertilizers by improving the nutrient use efficiency and consequently decreasing the leaching of them is a task of a great importance. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of mycorrhizal arbuscular fungi (AMF) combined with plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth and nutritional status of apple trees cultivated on a silty-loam, rich in clay minerals and humus soil under organic farming conditions. Thus, a trial was established in an experimental orchard in Wilanów in Central Poland with three cultivars (‘Topaz’, ‘Odra’, and ‘Chopin’) and a promising clone, U 8869. Trees were or were not inoculated with AMF + PGPR within a split-block experimental design with four replicates. According to the results, mycorrhizal frequency obtained in the inoculated tree roots was on average two-fold higher than in the roots of the control plants. After four years of AMF + PGPR inoculation, 24% higher trunk cross-section area (TCSA) was observed, with the nitrogen and magnesium concentrations in leaves increasing, on average, by 7.8% and 64.2%, and phosphorus and potassium content decreasing by 37.2% and 46.5%, respectively. This study shows that using AMF + PGPR inoculum supports tree roots colonization by AMF. As a result, better nitrogen nutrition status is observed that promote vigorous growth of trees and more efficient uptake of magnesium from the bulk soil. On the other hand, lower phosphorus content in inoculated tree leaves might be explained by a dilution effect, and potassium decrease could occur as a result of fungus–plant competition in conditions of this element deficiency in soil.

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Agronomic, breeding, and biotechnological approaches to parasitic plant management through manipulation of germination stimulant levels in agricultural soils

Botany ◽

10.1139/b11-075 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 89 (12) ◽

pp. 813-826 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

M. Fernández-Aparicio ◽

J.H. Westwood ◽

D. Rubiales

Keyword(s):

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Host Recognition ◽

Plant Management ◽

Parasitic Weed ◽

Germination Stimulant ◽

New Class ◽

Agronomic Practices ◽

Number Of Plant Species

A number of plant species have adapted to parasitize other plants, and some parasitic species pose severe constraints to major crops. The role of strigolactones and other metabolites present in host root exudates as germination stimulants for weedy root parasitic weed seeds has been known for the last 40 years. Recently, the ecological and developmental roles of strigolactones have been clarified by the discovery that they are a new class of plant hormone that controls shoot branching and serve as host recognition signals for mycorrhizal fungi. Parasitic plants also recognize these chemicals and use them to coordinate their life cycle with that of their host. Here we review agronomic practices that use parasitic germination stimulant production as a target for manipulation to control parasitic weeds.

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