Abstract
There have been some scientific reports suggesting that dual inoculations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and saprophytic soil fungi may cause an additive or synergistic growth enhancement of the inoculated host plant. Some Trichoderma spp. have shown antagonistic potential against pathogenic fungi and a beneficial effect on plant growth. Joint inoculations of the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith, isolated from a citrus nursery (Tarragona, Spain) and a strain of Trichoderma aureoviride Rifai, isolated from an organic compost, were tested on a citrus rootstock, Citrus reshni Hort. ex Tan. The interactions between both microorganisms and their influence on mycorrhizal root colonization and plant growth enhancement, the changes produced in the soil microbial activity, like esterase, trehalase, phosphatase and chitinase activities, and on microbial populations were evaluated in three organic substrates: (1) sphagnum peat and autoclaved sandy soil (1/1, v/v), (2) sphagnum peat, quartz sand and perlite (1/1/1, v/v) and (3) pine bark compost (BVU, Prodeasa Product). Substrate characteristics were more important than the AM inoculation treatment in the determination of enzyme activity. In bark compost, the number of bacterial colonies obtained on soil-dilution plates was significantly higher than in peat and sand mixtures. Inoculation with T. aureoviride alone produced no significant effect on growth enhancement of C. reshni. However, dual inoculation with both, T. aureoviride and G. intraradices significantly increased plant growth in two of the substrates used and was the best treatment in pine bark amended compost. The inoculation with T. aureoviride did not affect the development of mycorrhizal root colonization. These results show a synergistic effect of G. intraradices and T. aureoviride on the growth of C. reshni in organic substrates and indicate the potential benefits of using combined inoculations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ames R N 1989 Mycorrhiza development in onion in response to inoculation with chitin-decomposing actinomycetes. New Phytol. 112, 423–427.
Azcón-Aguilar C, Barea J M and Olivares J 1980 Effects of Rhizobium polysaccharides on VA mycorrhiza formation. In Second International Symposium on microbial Ecology. Abstr. No.187. University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Azcón-Aguilar C and Barea J M 1985 Effect of soil microorganisms on the formation of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 84, 536–537.
Azcón-Aguilar C, Díaz-Rodríguez R M and Barea J M 1986 Effect of soil microorganisms on spore germination and growth of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 86, 337–340.
Azcón-Aguilar C and Barea J M 1992 Interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and other rhizosphere microorganisms. In Mycorrhizal functioning. An Integrative Plant-Fungal Process. Ed. M J Allen. Chapman and Hall, New York, London.
Baker R 1989 Improved Trichoderma spp. for promoting crop productivity. Tibtech. 7, 34–38.
Barber D A and Martin J K 1976 The release of organic substances by cereal roots into soil. New Phytol. 76, 69–80.
Beam H W 1971 Effect of fluometuron and prometryne on β-galactosidase and phosphatase produced by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn in soil culture. M.S. thesis, Auburn University, USA.
Bowen G D 1980 Misconceptions, concepts and approaches in rhizosphere biology. In Contemporany Microbial Ecology. Eds. D C Ellwood, M J Latham, J N Hedger, J N Lynch and J M Slater. pp 283–304. Academic Press, London.
Brundrett M C, Piché Y and Peterson R L 1984 A new method for observing the morphology of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae. Can. J. Bot. 62, 2128–2134.
Calvet C, Barea J M and Pera J 1992 In vitro interactions between the vesicular-arbuscular fungus Glomus mosseae and some saprophytic fungi isolated from organic substrates. Soil Biol. Biochem. 24, 775–780.
Calvet C, Pera J and Barea J M 1993 Growth response of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) to inoculation with Glomus mosseae, Trichoderma aureoviride and Pythium ultimum in a peat-perlite mixture. Plant and Soil 148, 1–6.
Camprubí A 1994 Mycorrhizae in citrus nurseries: fungi characterization and selection. Introduction of the inoculation technology in agronomic plant production systems. Ph.D. thesis, University of Barcelona, Spain.
Davey C B 1971 Nonpathogenic organisms associated with mycorrhizae. In Mycorrhizae. Ed. X Hacskaylo. p 255. USDA Miscellaneous Publication 1189.
Dhruva Kumar J H A, Sharna G D and Mishra R R 1992 Soil microbial population numbers and enzyme activities in relation to altitude and forest degradation. Soil Biol. Biochem. 24, 761–767.
Gopalakrishna N N 1980 Interaction between VA mycorrhiza and phosphate solubilizing fungi and their effects on rhizosphere microflora and growth of finger miller. M. Sc. (Agric.) thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India.
Inbar Y, Boehm M J and Hoitink H A J 1991 Hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate in sphagnum peat container media for predicting suppressiveness to damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum. Soil Biol. Biochem. 19, 95–99.
Johnson L F and Curl E A 1972 Methods for research on ecology of soil-borne pathogens. Burgess Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minesota.
Koske R E and Gemma J N 1989 A modified procedure for staining roots to detect VA mycorrhizas. Mycol. Res. 92, 486–505.
Kwok O C H, Fahy P C, Hoitink H A J and Kuter G A 1987 Interactions between bacteria and Trichoderma hamatum in suppression of Rhizoctonia damping-off in bark compost media. Phytopathology 77, 1206–1212.
Manjunath A, Mohan R and Bagyaraj D J 1981 Interactions between Beijerinckia mobilis, Aspergillus niger and Glomus fasciculatum and their effects on growth of onion. New Phytol. 87, 723–727.
Mellor R B 1992 Is trehalose a symbiotic determinant in symbioses between higher plants and microorganisms? Symbiosis 12, 113–129.
Meyer J R and Linderman R G 1986 Response of subterraneum clover to dual inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and a plant-growth promoting bacterium Pseudomonas putida. Soil Biol. Biochem. 18, 185–190.
Nelson N 1944 A photometric adaptation of the Somogyi method for determination of glucose. J. Biol. Chem. 153, 375–380.
Nemec S 1987 VA mycorrhizae in horticultural systems. In Ecophysiology of Va Mycorrhizal Plants. Eds. Gene and Safir. pp 193–211. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
Pera J and Calvet C 1989 Suppression of Fusarium wilt of carnation in a composted pine bark and a composted olive pumice. Plant Dis. 73, 699–700.
Schnurer J and Roswall T 1982 Fluorescein diacetate hydrolisis as a measure of total microbial activity in soil and litter. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 43, 256–1261.
Smith R E and Rodríguez-Kábana R 1982 The extraction and assay of soil trehalase. Plant and Soil 65, 335–344.
Spanu P, Boller T, Ludwig A, Wiemken A, Faccio A and Bonfante-Fasolo P 1989 Chitinase in roots of mycorrhizal Allium porrum: regulation and localization. Planta 177, 447–455.
Trillas-Gay M I, Hoitink H A J and Madden L V 1986 Nature of suppression of Fusarium wilt of radish in container medium amended with composted hardwood bark. Plant Dis. 70, 1023–1027.
Wilson G M T, Hetrick B A D and Kitt D G 1989 Suppression of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus spore germination by nonsterile soil. Can. J. Bot. 67, 18–23.
Windham M T, Elad Y and Baker R 1986 A mechanism for increased plant growth induced by Trichoderma spp. Phytopathology 76, 518–521.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Camprubí, A., Calvet, C. & Estaún, V. Growth enhancement of Citrus reshni after inoculation with Glomus intraradices and Trichoderma aureoviride and associated effects on microbial populations and enzyme activity in potting mixes. Plant Soil 173, 233–238 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011460
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011460