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The aim of this study was to assess the effects of agronomic practices on the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal community in soils from the Pampa Ondulada region (Argentina), and to compare conclusions reached when using pyrosequencing or a morphological approach. The AM fungal diversity of 3 agricultural exploitations located in the Pampa Ondulada region (Argentina) was assessed by using 454 amplicon pyrosequencing and morphological (based on spore traits) approaches. Two kinds of soil managements are found in these sites: agronomic and non-agronomic. A total of 188 molecular operational taxonomic units and 29 morphological species of AM fungi were identified. No effect of soil management on AM richness was detected. AM fungal communities were more diverse and equitable in the absence of agronomic management. In contrast, the results on β-diversity varied according to the methodology used. We concluded that agronomic management of soil has a negative effect on AM fungal community biodiversity in the Pampa Ondulada region. We also conclude that both methodologies complement each other in the study of AM fungal ecology. This study greatly improved the knowledge about AM fungi in South America where the molecular diversity of AM fungi was practically unknown.

The capacity of roots to sense soil physicochemical parameters plays an essential role in maintaining plant nutritional and developmental functions under abiotic stress. These conditions generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant tissues causing oxidation of proteins and lipids among others. Some plants have developed adaptive mechanisms to counteract such adverse conditions such as symbiotic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF enhance plant growth and improve transplant survival by protecting host plants against environmental stresses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alleviation of transplanting stress by two strains of Rhizophagus irregularis (GC2 and GA5) in olive. Our results show that olive plants have an additional energetic expense in growth due to an adaptative response to the growing stage and to the mycorrhizal colonization at the first transplant. However, at the second transplant the coinoculation improves olive plant growth and protects against oxidative stress followed by the GA5-inoculation. In conclusion, a combination of two AMF strains at the beginning of olive propagation produces vigorous plants successfully protected in field cultivation even with an additional cost at the beginning of growth.