Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Efficiency and Crop Productivity of Two-Rowed Barley under Different Crop Production Systems

Abstract

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) constitute a ubiquitous group of soil microorganisms, affecting plant and soil microorganism growth. Various crop management practices can have a significant impact on the AM association. This study investigated the AMF inoculation contribution on growth and productivity of two-rowed barley crop by identifying the underlying mechanisms both in conventional and organic cropping systems. A two-year field trial was set up as a split-plot design with 2 main plots [AMF inoculation: with (AMF+) and without (AMF−)] and five sub-plots (fertilization regimes: untreated, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form, and 60% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form) in three replications. According to the results, AMF+ plants presented higher plant height and leaf area index (LAI), resulting in increased biomass and, as a result, higher seed yield. With regard to the quality traits, including the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and their utilization indices, the AMF inoculated plants showed higher values. Furthermore, the level of fertilization, particularly in an inorganic form, adversely affected AMF root colonization. Consequently, it was concluded that substitution of inorganic inputs by organic, as well as inputs reduction, when combined with AMF inoculation, can produce excellent results, thus making barley crop cultivation sustainable in Mediterranean climates.

Effect of a Fortified Biostimulant Extract on Tomato Plant Productivity, Physiology, and Growing Media Properties

“…Fungi have diverse roles in crop ecology from providing nutrition for plant growth to causing plant disease [ 32 ]. For example, fungi decompose soil organic material as part of the soil carbon cycle, and the majority of terrestrial plants, including tomato plants, form root associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to increase plant uptake of P, as well as the uptake of inorganic and organic N [ 33 , 34 ]. At the same time, soil-borne fungi cause a range of diseases in tomato crops [ 35 ], and microbes can compete with crops for nutrients [ 36 ].…”

The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation affects plant growth and flavonoid content in tomato plant (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.)

“…AMF application formed external and internal infections and vesicles as a mutual relationship between AMF and tomato root [Figure 1]. The AMF-root symbiosis increased nutrient uptake in the media, especially nitrogen and phosphor [36][37][38]. Either root-AMF symbiosis or the increase of root length in AMF-inoculated tomato plants provided a broader contact area between root and plant media so that a larger nutrient quantity could be absorbed.…”

“…Plants with a larger total leaf area contribute to the increase in plant crown, the effectiveness of photosynthesis [28], and higher total plant biomass [50]. Plant dry weight shows the accumulation of inorganic compounds [38]. AMF inoculation can increase the weight of biomass of Cucumis sativus [51] through the absorption of nutrients needed for plant growth and the photosynthesis process to produce various compounds, which will increase plant weight in both root, stem, and leaf organs [52].…”

Positive response of barley to an indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculant is modulated by genotype and environment through changes in AMF root abundance and community structure

“…However, they pointed out the lack of experiments on barley and the importance to study the effect of breeding and environment to validate the pattern. Under low soil nutrient availability, yield grain increases were reported in eld inoculation with a mixture of AMF (Beslemes et al 2023;Masrahi et al 2023). In accordance with the general relationship found in crop plants between ∆AM and MR yield (Lekberg et al 2005;Pellegrino et al 2015), in 2020 we found a signi cant relationship (R 2 =0.71; P=0.004).…”