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Phosphorus threshold for arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of crops and tree seedlings

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Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of phosphorus (P) concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 μg g−1) on growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization of two crops (a rainy season crop, Phaseolus mungo Roxb. var. PU-35 and a winter crop, Triticum aestivum L. var. WH-147) and seedlings of two multipurpose tree species (Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. [Clone C-7, ITC, Bhadrachalam] and Albizia procera Benth.). Plant growth parameters (shoot length, dry weight) and P uptake increased significantly after inoculations with AM fungi (Acaulospora scrobiculata Trappe, Glomus cerebriforme McGee, and Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith) in P. mungo, T. aestivum, E. tereticornis, and A. procera. Best results were obtained with G. cerebriforme in P. mungo and A. procera, and A. scrobiculata in T. aestivum, and G. intraradices in E. tereticornis. Results on effect of P application on mycorrhizal dependency (MD) of studied crop and tree species showed that decrease in MD with increase in P concentrations in non-nitrogen-fixing species (T. aestivum and E. tereticornis) was higher than in nitrogen-fixing species (P. mungo and A. procera). Threshold P concentrations for maximum benefits from the AM symbiosis in above-mentioned plant species varied from 5 to 20 μg g−1 and corresponding peaks of arbuscules, vesicles, sporocarp formation, colonization index, and spore count per 100 g sand were noticed. Thus, the results showed that the recorded plant growth peaks were due to AM colonization of crops and tree rhizosphere. Inoculations with AMF were more important than P application (explaining 14–78% variation in plant growth) for P. mungo, T. aestivum, and A. procera (forward selection method), whereas P application was more important for growth in E. tereticornis. Therefore, inoculating plants with a suitable AM inoculant could result in a benefit comparable to high P input and lead to a significant saving of inorganic P fertilizer.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Director, National Research Centre for Agroforestry, Jhansi for facilitating the research program and constant encouragement during the period of the study. The authors sincerely thank Dr OP Chaturvedi and Dr Rajendra Prasad for their useful comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Centre for Agroforestry, Opposite Pahuj Dam, Gwalior Road, Jhansi, 284 003, India

    Ashok Shukla, Anil Kumar, Anuradha Jha &  Ajit

  2. Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Near Pahuj Dam, Gwalior Road, Jhansi, 284 003, India

    D. V. K. Nageswara Rao

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  1. Ashok Shukla
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  2. Anil Kumar
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  3. Anuradha Jha
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  4. Ajit
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  5. D. V. K. Nageswara Rao
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Correspondence to Ashok Shukla.

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Shukla, A., Kumar, A., Jha, A. et al. Phosphorus threshold for arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of crops and tree seedlings. Biol Fertil Soils 48, 109–116 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0576-y

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