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Throughout the world, salinity is a major environmental issue that limits agricultural productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In addition, climate change is the most important reason for the salinization of agricultural soils in the world, so it is now essential to find solutions to increase salinity tolerance in plants. This study investigated the potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation to enhance the growth and yield performances of flax under different salinity levels by conducting a pot experiment. The experiment was laid out in a two-factor completely randomized design including AMF inoculation (AMF+: with inoculation; AMF−: without inoculation) and irrigation water salinity (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl). According to the results, it is evident that salt stress caused negative physiological effects, including limited growth, reduced photosynthesis, and decreased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content in the shoots and roots of flax plants. Moreover, mycorrhizal association improved the salt tolerance of the plants by increasing chlorophyll content, and enhancing N and P shoot and root contents and consequently yield parameters, such as seed and stem fiber yield, particularly at moderate salt concentrations (50 and 100 mM NaCl). In particular, under 100 mM, AMF increased the total chlorophyll content, N shoot and root content, P shoot and root content, and seed and stem fiber yield by 30.4%, 36.1%, 31.0%, 38.9%, 45.4%, 35.2%, and 26.9%, respectively. As a result of using AMF, flax plants grown under salt stress exhibited tolerance, suggesting that AMF could be applied in saline environments to maintain ecological stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) constitute a ubiquitous group of soil microorganisms, affecting plant and soil microorganism growth. Various crop management practices can have a significant impact on the AM association. This study investigated the AMF inoculation contribution on growth and productivity of two-rowed barley crop by identifying the underlying mechanisms both in conventional and organic cropping systems. A two-year field trial was set up as a split-plot design with 2 main plots [AMF inoculation: with (AMF+) and without (AMF−)] and five sub-plots (fertilization regimes: untreated, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form, and 60% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form) in three replications. According to the results, AMF+ plants presented higher plant height and leaf area index (LAI), resulting in increased biomass and, as a result, higher seed yield. With regard to the quality traits, including the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and their utilization indices, the AMF inoculated plants showed higher values. Furthermore, the level of fertilization, particularly in an inorganic form, adversely affected AMF root colonization. Consequently, it was concluded that substitution of inorganic inputs by organic, as well as inputs reduction, when combined with AMF inoculation, can produce excellent results, thus making barley crop cultivation sustainable in Mediterranean climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the world, salinity is a major environmental issue that limits agricultural productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In addition, climate change is the most important reason for the salinization of agricultural soils in the world, so it is now essential to find solutions to increase salinity tolerance in plants. This study investigated the potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation to enhance the growth and yield performances of flax under different salinity levels by conducting a pot experiment. The experiment was laid out in a two-factor completely randomized design including AMF inoculation (AMF+: with inoculation; AMF−: without inoculation) and irrigation water salinity (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl). According to the results, it is evident that salt stress caused negative physiological effects, including limited growth, reduced photosynthesis, and decreased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content in the shoots and roots of flax plants. Moreover, mycorrhizal association improved the salt tolerance of the plants by increasing chlorophyll content, and enhancing N and P shoot and root contents and consequently yield parameters, such as seed and stem fiber yield, particularly at moderate salt concentrations (50 and 100 mM NaCl). In particular, under 100 mM, AMF increased the total chlorophyll content, N shoot and root content, P shoot and root content, and seed and stem fiber yield by 30.4%, 36.1%, 31.0%, 38.9%, 45.4%, 35.2%, and 26.9%, respectively. As a result of using AMF, flax plants grown under salt stress exhibited tolerance, suggesting that AMF could be applied in saline environments to maintain ecological stability.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) constitute a ubiquitous group of soil microorganisms, affecting plant and soil microorganism growth. Various crop management practices can have a significant impact on the AM association. This study investigated the AMF inoculation contribution on growth and productivity of two-rowed barley crop by identifying the underlying mechanisms both in conventional and organic cropping systems. A two-year field trial was set up as a split-plot design with 2 main plots [AMF inoculation: with (AMF+) and without (AMF−)] and five sub-plots (fertilization regimes: untreated, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form, and 60% recommended dose of fertilizer in organic and inorganic form) in three replications. According to the results, AMF+ plants presented higher plant height and leaf area index (LAI), resulting in increased biomass and, as a result, higher seed yield. With regard to the quality traits, including the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and their utilization indices, the AMF inoculated plants showed higher values. Furthermore, the level of fertilization, particularly in an inorganic form, adversely affected AMF root colonization. Consequently, it was concluded that substitution of inorganic inputs by organic, as well as inputs reduction, when combined with AMF inoculation, can produce excellent results, thus making barley crop cultivation sustainable in Mediterranean climates.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play key roles in nutrient cycling and supporting agricultural productivity. Although both phosphorus (P) fertilization and plant-plant interactions can induce changes in the AMF community, if and how their interaction effects can affect the AMF community remain unknown. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate plant growth, P concentration and content and AMF root colonization in intercropped potato onion and tomato system under five P levels. Quantitative PCR and Illumina MiSeq sequencing were applied to evaluate AMF community abundance and composition. Enhanced growth and P concentration of intercropped tomato were most pronounced without P fertilization compared with monocropping system, while interspecific interactions negatively affected potato onion growth. Intercropping increased AMF abundance in tomato but decreased that in potato onion, although higher P fertilization depressed AMF abundance, diversity and root colonization. AMF community compositions of the two plants were primarily affected by P fertilization, and the AMF composition of potato onion was also separated by cropping system. Overall, interspecific interactions between tomato and potato onion were asymmetric with a negative effect on potato onion growth. P fertilization had a stronger influence than intercropping on rhizosphere AMF community, and interspecific interactions on the AMF community were not symmetric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous, alkaline and kaolinite soils, despite external P fertilization, are low in plant extractable P because of their P fixing nature. Use of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are eco-friendly technologies for enhancing plant P nutrition and total crop production. However, use of potentially viable amongst numerous strains is of significant importance. In this study, we isolated and characterized AMF and PSB strains from berseem, wheat and pasture rhizosphere at ten agricultural soils and evaluated their P nutrition potential on maize crop grown in pots. Two PSB strains (URF-B-4 and NP-B-4) were identified for their highest population density (3.2 × 108 g−1 CFU) and P solubility index (3.02) whilst a total of four AMF strains (Glomus Hoi, Glomus claroideum, Glomus mossai, and Glomus intrardices) were isolated from berseem rhizosphere. The isolated strains were used both in the presence and absence of vermicompost (VC) in order to evaluate their potential in low and high carbon soils. Results revealed that selected strains of AMF and PSB in vermicompost (VC) pots (AMF+PSB+VC) significantly increased the plant height and roots dry biomass (by 41 and 55%, respectively). Soil OM, AB-DTPA extractable P, soil total N, plant P concentrations and N and P uptake were also significantly (P < 0.05) higher with AMF+PSB+VC followed by PSB+VC over rest of the treatments. The AMF+PSB resulted in significantly higher plant N concentration while the AMF root colonization and spores density and PSB population density were maximum for AMF+PSB+VC followed by AMF+PSB. Results concluded that for improved plant growth, nutrients availability/uptake, microbial status, and fertility of the alkaline and calcareous soils, only the efficient AMF and PSB strains (URF-B-4 and NP-B-4) application along with vermicompost would pay back significantly in addition to routine inorganic P fertilizer application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In intercropping systems, crop species select host-adapted microorganisms and influence the associated plant-microbial interactions like in the case of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Attempts to assess the impact of intercropping on the activity, diversity, and community composition of AMF remain inconclusive, more so in intercropping systems involving traditional Mediterranean crops such as durum wheat and lentils. We carried out field experiments in Central Italy to assess the impact of relay intercropping durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. cv. Minosse) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik. cv. Elsa) on soil mycorrhizal inoculum potential (MIP) (2019 and 2020), AMF root colonization (2019, 2020, and 2021), and root AMF diversity and community composition (2020 and 2021), compared to the respective sole crops. Results showed that relay intercropping enhanced lentil grain yield and durum wheat grain protein concentration but marginally reduced durum wheat grain yield and lentil grain protein concentration. In addition, relay intercropping enhanced soil mycorrhizal activity but differentially influenced mycorrhizal root colonization compared to sole cropping. Sequencing analyses generated a total of 234 amplicon sequence variants belonging to Glomeromycota, which were assigned to 31 virtual taxa using the MaarjAM reference database. Glomeraceae and Claroideoglomeraceae were the most abundant taxa but had contrasting abundances in 2020 and 2021. The overall changes in AMF species diversity and community structure were affected by the interaction between crop species and year, and not by intercropping. Claroideoglomus and Septoglomus showed a strong association with lentil roots while Rhizophagus and Paraglomus were associated with durum wheat roots in 2020, affirming host genotype-AMF preferences. The principal component analysis showed that grain protein concentration was associated with selected mycorrhizal parameters such as community richness and AMF root colonization. Further studies on the functional analysis of the different AMF communities selected by the crop genotype and year may reveal the importance of intercropping in maintaining soil functionality and productivity under low-input systems. • Relay intercropping influences plant and soil-microbial interactions. • Relay intercropping favored lentil grain production and durum wheat grain protein quality. • Durum wheat-lentil relay intercropping enhanced soil mycorrhizal activity. • Durum wheat-lentil relay intercropping did not alter structure of AMF community within roots. • AMF community richness was associated with durum wheat grain protein concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present experiment was carried out in a net house at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan. The main purpose of this research was to find out the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation (with and without Mycorrhiza) along with application of various levels (0%, 25%, 50% and 100%) of rock phosphate (RP) fertilizer on spores density and percent root colonization of selected sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids in P-deficient soil. It was observed that spore density and AMF root colonization was higher in the soil of control (RP0) plants, which decreases progressively with increasing fertility level. Less number of spores and percent root colonization was found at high RP level (RP100) in all hybrids. Higher P doses declined the sporulation and colonization. There was total seven AMF species that were observed and recorded. The dominant genus was Acaulospora which was followed by Glomus, Sclerocystis and Gigaspora. The average AMF spore density ranged from 56-260 spores/100g soil while root colonization ranged from 32-100%. Mycorrhizal enhancement regarding AMF spores density and root colonization ranked as- RP0>RP1>RP2>RP3 in all hybrids i.e 0%>25%>50%>100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can benefit growth and yield of agriculturally significant crops by increasing mineral nutrient uptake, disease resistance and drought tolerance of plants. We conducted a meta-analysis of 38 published field trials with 333 observations to determine the effects of inoculation and root colonization by inoculated and non-inoculated (resident) AMF on P, N and Zn uptake, growth and grain yield of wheat. Field AMF inoculation increased aboveground biomass, grain yield, harvest index, aboveground biomass P concentration and content, straw P content, aboveground biomass N concentration and content, grain N content and grain Zn concentration. Grain yield was positively correlated with root AMF colonization rate, whereas straw biomass was negatively correlated. The most important drivers of wheat growth response to AMF were organic matter concentration, pH, total N and available P concentration, and texture of soil, as well as climate and the AMF species inoculated. Analysis showed that AMF inoculation of wheat in field conditions can be an effective agronomic practice, although its economic profitability should still be addressed for large-scale applications in sustainable cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]