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Interaction between root growth allocation and mycorrhizal fungi in soil with patchy P distribution

Felderer, Bernd ; Jansa, Jan ; Schulin, Rainer

In: Plant and Soil, 2013, vol. 373, no. 1-2, p. 569-582

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    Titre
    • Interaction between root growth allocation and mycorrhizal fungi in soil with patchy P distribution
    Auteur
    • Felderer, Bernd. Soil Protection Group, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Jansa, Jan. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Praha, Czech Republic
    • Schulin, Rainer. Soil Protection Group, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:314233
    Summary
    Aims and Background: Many plants preferentially grow roots into P-enriched soil patches, but little is known about how the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affects this response. Methods: Lotus japonicus (L.) was grown in a low-P soil with (a) no additional P, (b) homogeneous P (28mg pot−1), (c) low heterogeneous P (9.3mg pot−1), and (d) high heterogeneous P (28mg pot−1). Each P treatment was combined with one of three mycorrhiza treatments: no mycorrhizae, Glomus intraradices, indigenous AMF. Real-time PCR was used to assess the abundance of G. intraradices and the indigeneous AMF G. mosseae and G. claroideum. Results: Mycorrhization and P fertilization strongly increased plant growth. Homogeneous P supply enhanced growth in both mycorrhizal treatments, while heterogeneous P fertilization increased biomass production only in treatments with indigenous AMF inoculation. Preferential root allocation into P-enriched soil was significant only in absence of AMF. The abundance of AMF species was similar in P-enriched and unfertilized soil patches. Conclusion: Mycorrhization may completely override preferential root growth responses of plants to P- patchiness in soil. The advantage of this effect for the plants is to give roots more freedom to forage for other resources in demand for growth and to adapt to variable soil conditions