Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-mediated nitrogen transfer from vineyard cover crops to grapevines

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cover crops are often planted in between vineyard rows to reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and improve soil structure. Roots of both grapevines and cover crops form mutualistic symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and may be interconnected by AM hyphae. To study nutrient transfer from cover crops to grapevines through AM fungal links, we grew grapevines and cover crops in specially designed containers in the greenhouse that restricted their root systems to separate compartments, but allowed AM fungi to colonize both root systems. Leaves of two cover crops, a grass (Bromus hordeaceus) and a legume (Medicago polymorpha), were labeled with 99 atom% 15N solution for 24 h. Grapevine leaves were analyzed for 15N content 2, 5, and 10 days after labeling. Our results showed evidence of AM fungi-mediated 15N transfer from cover crops to grapevines 5 and 10 days after labeling. N transfer was significantly greater from the grass to the grapevine than from the legume to the grapevine. Possible reasons for the differences between the two cover crops include lower 15N enrichment in legume roots, higher biomass of grass roots, and/or differences in AM fungal community composition. Further studies are needed to investigate N transfer from grapevines to cover crops and to determine net N transfer between the two crops throughout their growing seasons, in order to understand the significance of AM fungi-mediated interplant nutrient transfers in the field.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baumgartner K, Smith RF, Bettiga L (2004) Weed control and cover crop management affect mycorrhizal colonization of grapevine roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore populations in a California vineyard. Mycorrhiza 14(6) (in press)

  • Bethlenfalvay GJ, Reyessolis MG, Camel SB, Ferreracerrato R (1991) Nutrient transfer between the root zones of soybean and maize plants connected by a common mycorrhizal mycelium. Physiol Plant 82:423–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bever JD, Morton JB, Antonovics J, Schultz PA (1996) Host-dependent sporulation and species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a mown grassland. J Ecol 84:71–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Biricolti S, Ferrini F, Rinaldelli E, Tamantini I, Vignozzi N (1997) VAM fungi and soil lime content influence rootstock growth and nutrient content. Am J Enol Viticult 48:93–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Boswell EP, Koide RT, Shumway DL, Addy HD (1998) Winter wheat cover cropping, VA mycorrhizal fungi and maize growth and yield. Agric Ecosyst Environ 67:55–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng X, Baumgartner K (2004a) Overlap of grapevine and covercrop roots enhances interactions among grapevines, cover crops, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In Soil Environment and Vine Mineral Nutrition: Symposium Proceedings and Related Papers. 29–30 June 2004, San Diego, CA, P. Christensen (Ed.). American Society of Enology and Viticulture, Davis, CA (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng X, Baumgartner K (2004b) Survey of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in Northern California vineyards and mycorrhizal colonization potential of grapevine nursery stock. HortScience 39(7) (in press)

  • Chiariello N, Hickman JC, Mooney HA (1982) Endomycorrhizal role for interspecific transfer of phosphorus in a community of annual plants. Science 217:941–943

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark MS, Horwath WR, Shennan C, Scow KM (1998) Changes in soil chemical properties resulting from organic and low-input farming practices. Agron J 90:662–671

    Google Scholar 

  • Deal DR, Boothroyd CW, Mai WF (1972) Replanting of vineyards and its relationship to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza. Phytopathology 62:172–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Drinkwater LE, Wagoner P, Sarrantonio M (1998) Legume-based cropping systems have reduced carbon and nitrogen losses. Nature 396:262–265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eom AH, Hartnett DC, Wilson GWT (2000) Host plant species effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in tallgrass prairie. Oecologia 122:435–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitter AH, Graves JD, Watkins NK, Robinson D, Scrimgeour C (1998) Carbon transfer between plants and its control in networks of arbuscular mycorrhizas. Funct Ecol 12:406–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis R, Read DJ (1984) Direct transfer of carbon between plants connected by vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal mycelium. Nature 307:53–56

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frey B, Schüepp H (1993) A role of vesicular arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungi in facilitating interplant nitrogen transfer. Soil Biol Biochem 25:651–658

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giovannetti M, Mosse B (1980) Evaluation of techniques for measuring vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal infection in roots. New Phytol 84:489–500

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulick SH, Grimes DW, Munk DS, Goldhamer DA (1994) Cover-crop-enhanced water infiltration of a slowly permeable fine sandy loam. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:1539–1546

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamel C, Smith DL (1991) Interspecific N-transfer and plant development in a mycorrhizal field-grown mixture. Soil Biol Biochem 23:661–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamel C, Smith DL (1992) Mycorrhizae-mediated N-15 transfer from soybean to corn in field-grown intercrops—effect of component crop spatial relationships. Soil Biol Biochem 24:499–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He XH, Critchley C, Bledsoe C (2003) Nitrogen transfer within and between plants through common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs). Crit Rev Plant Sci 22:531–567

    Google Scholar 

  • He X, Critchley C, Ng H, Bledsoe C (2004) Reciprocal N (15NH4+ or 15NO3−) transfer between non-N2-fixing Eucalyptus maculata and N2-fixing Casuarina cunninghamiana linked by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus sp. New Phytol 163:629–640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heap AJ, Newman EI (1980) Links between roots by hyphae of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizas. New Phytol 85:169–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingels CA, Bugg RL, McGourty GT, Christensen LP (eds) (1998) Cover cropping in vineyards: a growers’ handbook. University of California, Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources publication no. 3338

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansen A, Jensen ES (1996) Transfer of N and P from intact or decomposing roots of pea to barley interconnected by an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Soil Biol Biochem 28:73–81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson NC, Tilman D, Wedin D (1992) Plant and soil controls on mycorrhizal fungal communities. Ecology 73:2034–2042

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson D, Leake JR, Read DJ (2001) Novel in-growth core system enables functional studies of grassland mycorrhizal mycelial networks. New Phytol 152:555–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabir Z, Koide RT (2000) The effect of dandelion or a cover crop on mycorrhiza inoculum potential, soil aggregation and yield of maize. Agric Ecosyst Environ 78:167–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabir Z, Koide RT (2002) Effect of autumn and winter mycorrhizal cover crops on soil properties, nutrient uptake and yield of sweet corn in Pennsylvania, USA. Plant Soil 238:205–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linderman RG, Davis EA (2001) Comparative response of selected grapevine rootstocks and cultivars to inoculation with different mycorrhizal fungi. Am J Enol Viticult 52:8–11

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mårtensson AM, Rydberg I, Vestberg M (1998) Potential to improve transfer of N in intercropped systems by optimising host-endophyte combinations. Plant Soil 205:57–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menge JA, Raski DJ, Lider LA, Johnson ELV, Jones NO, Kissler JJ, Hemstreet CL (1983) Interactions between mycorrhizal fungi, soil fumigation, and growth of grapes in California. Am J Enol Viticult 34:117–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Nappi P, Jodice R, Luzzati A, Corino L (1985) Grapevine root-system and VA mycorrhizae in some soils of Piedmont (Italy). Plant Soil 85:205–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman EI (1966) A method of estimating the total length of root in a sample. J Appl Ecol 3:139

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman EI, Eason WR (1989) Cycling of nutrients from dying roots to living plants, including the role of mycorrhizas. Plant Soil 115:211–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman EI, Devoy CLN, Easen NJ, Fowles KJ (1994) Plant-species that can be linked by VA mycorrhizal fungi. New Phytol 126:691–693

    Google Scholar 

  • Possingham JV, Groot-Obbink J (1971) Endotrophic mycorrhiza and the nutrition of grapevines. Vitis 10:120–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Schellenbaum L, Berta G, Ravolanirina F, Tisserant B, Gianinazzi S, Fitter AH (1991) Influence of endomycorrhizal infection on root morphology in a micropropagated woody plant-species (Vitis vinifera L). Ann Bot 68:135–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Schreiner RP, Koide RT (1993) Mustards, mustard oils and mycorrhizas. New Phytol 123:107–113

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schubert A, Cammarata S, Eynard I (1988) Growth and root colonization of grapevines inoculated with different mycorrhizal endophytes. Hortscience 23:302–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Simard SW, Jones MD, Durall DM (2002) Carbon and nutrient fluxes within and between mycorrhizal plants. In: van der Heijden MGA, Sanders IR (eds) Mycorrhizal ecology, vol 157. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 33–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson CA, Atkinson D, Gosling P, Jackson LR, Rayns FW (2002) Managing soil fertility in organic farming systems. Soil Use Manage 18:239–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Jeremy Warren and Sharon Schnabel for field and laboratory assistance. Special thanks to Dr Xinhua He and Lissa Veilleux at the University of California, Davis for their valuable comments on this manuscript. This research was supported by the USDA-ARS.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Xiaomei Cheng

  2. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Kendra Baumgartner

Authors
  1. Xiaomei Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kendra Baumgartner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kendra Baumgartner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, X., Baumgartner, K. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-mediated nitrogen transfer from vineyard cover crops to grapevines. Biol Fertil Soils 40, 406–412 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-004-0797-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-004-0797-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation