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The contribution of plant traits and soil microbes to phosphorus uptake from low-phosphorus soil in upland rice varieties

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Abstract

Aims

Popular African upland rice variety Nerica4 performs poorly under phosphorus (P) deficiency; the objective was to identify plant and soil traits likely to improve its P efficiency.

Methods

Field and glasshouse experiments compared P uptake and root parameters between the popular rice genotype Nerica4, and a known P-efficient genotype, DJ123. Glasshouse experiments used fresh field soil, sterilized soil and sterilized soil resupplied with 15% fresh field soil to assess microbial effects.

Results

DJ123 had faster crown root development and higher proportions of fine roots, leading to larger root surface area (RSA). Additionally, it acquired more P per RSA, thus had more efficient roots. Higher root efficiency of DJ123 compared to Nerica4 was detected in fresh field soil, sterile soil, and sterile+resupplied soil, indicating that plant-specific factors rather than soil microbiome effects explained higher root efficiency in DJ123. In non-sterile soils both genotypes were colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and high expression of an AMF-induced rice P transporter gene (OsPT11) indicated the symbiosis was functional.

Conclusions

We identified plant traits present in DJ123 such as rapid crown root development, higher proportions of fine lateral roots, as well as superior overall root efficiency that make it a promising donor to improve the performance of Nerica4 in P-deficient environments. In addition, Nerica4 appears more susceptible to growth-inhibitory effects of the soil microbiome.

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Abbreviations

AMF:

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

DAE:

Days after emergence

DAS:

Days after sowing

RE:

Root efficiency

RSA:

Root surface area

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Acknowledgements

Authors acknowledge the excellent technical assistance of Taro Matsuda in the qPCR analysis. Scans of root images used for the measurements of root properties shown in Table 3 were provided by James DM King. Financial support in the form of a CONACYT – I2T2 scholarship to DG is acknowledged. SJWW acknowledges the University of Adelaide Ramsay Fellowship for support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Crop, Livestock and Environment Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan

    Matthias Wissuwa & Daniel Gonzalez

  2. Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Daniel Gonzalez

  3. The School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, 5064, Australia

    Stephanie J. Watts-Williams

  4. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, 5064, South Australia, Australia

    Stephanie J. Watts-Williams

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  1. Matthias Wissuwa
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Correspondence to Matthias Wissuwa.

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Efficient P uptake by rice is explained by genotypic differences in root traits and rhizosphere effects, even in the presence of an active mycorrhizal symbiosis

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Wissuwa, M., Gonzalez, D. & Watts-Williams, S.J. The contribution of plant traits and soil microbes to phosphorus uptake from low-phosphorus soil in upland rice varieties. Plant Soil 448, 523–537 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04453-z

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