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Deficit and excess of soil water impact on plant growth of Lotus tenuis by affecting nutrient uptake and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

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Abstract

The impact of deficit and excess of soil water on plant growth, morphological plant features, N and P plant nutrition, soil properties, Rhizobium nodulation and the symbiosis between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. were studied in a saline-sodic soil. Water excess treatment decreased root growth by 36% and increased shoot growth by 13% whereas water deficit treatment decreased both root and shoot growth (26 and 32%, respectively). Differences between stress conditions on shoot growth were due to the ability of L. tenuis to tolerate low oxygen concentration in the soil and the sufficiency of nutrients in soil to sustain shoot growth demands. Water excess treatment decreased pH, and increased available P and labile C in soil. Water deficit treatment decreased available P and also increased labile C. In general, N and P acquisition were affected more by water excess than water deficit. The number of nodules per gram of fresh roots only increased in water excess roots (97%). Under both stress conditions there was a significant proportion of roots colonized by AM fungi. Compared to control treatment, arbuscule formation decreased by 55 and 14% under water excess and water deficit, respectively. Vesicle formation increased 256% in water excess treatment and did not change under water deficit treatment. L. tenuis plants subjected to water deficit or excess treatments could grow, nodulated and maintained a symbiotic association with AM fungi by different strategies. Under water excess, L. tenuis plants decreased root growth and increased shoot growth to facilitate water elimination by transpiration. Under water deficit, L. tenuis plants decreased root growth but also shoot growth which in turn significant decreased the shoot/root ratio. In the present study, under water excess conditions AM fungi reduced nutrient transfer structures (arbuscules), the number of entry points and spore, and hyphal densities in soil, but increased resistance structures (vesicles). At water deficit, however, AM fungi reduced external hyphae and arbuscules to some extent, investing more in maintaining a similar proportion of vesicles in roots and spores in soil compared to control treatment.

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Abbreviations

AM:

arbuscular mycorrhizal

AC:

arbuscular colonization

VC:

vesicular colonization

HO:

hyphae only colonization

EP:

entry points, mc total root length colonized, ac root length colonized by arbuscules, vc root length colonized by vesicles, ho root length colonized by hyphae only, sp number of spores, hy hyphal density

RGR:

relative growth rate

RCR:

relative colonization rate

SI:

susceptibility index

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Ing. Agr. Liliana Marbán for technical assistance with the analysis of soil properties. Special thanks to Dr H. D. Ginzo for reviewing English writing.

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  1. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Ileana García, Rodolfo Mendoza & María C. Pomar

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  1. Ileana García
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  2. Rodolfo Mendoza
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  3. María C. Pomar
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Correspondence to Ileana García.

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García, I., Mendoza, R. & Pomar, M.C. Deficit and excess of soil water impact on plant growth of Lotus tenuis by affecting nutrient uptake and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Plant Soil 304, 117–131 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9526-8

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