Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus
Soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form a mutualistic symbiosis with plant roots and produce many benefits on host plants under potted conditions, while field inoculation of AM fungi on citrus (a woody plant) has been rarely reported. The present study aimed to analyze the changes in mycorrhizal...
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/12/1297 |
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| author | Ming-Ao Cao Peng Wang Abeer Hashem Stephan Wirth Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah Qiang-Sheng Wu |
| author_facet | Ming-Ao Cao Peng Wang Abeer Hashem Stephan Wirth Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah Qiang-Sheng Wu |
| author_sort | Ming-Ao Cao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form a mutualistic symbiosis with plant roots and produce many benefits on host plants under potted conditions, while field inoculation of AM fungi on citrus (a woody plant) has been rarely reported. The present study aimed to analyze the changes in mycorrhizal growth, root vitality, and fruit quality of <i>Citrus reticulata</i> Blanco var. Ponkan mandarin cv. Jinshuigan grafted on <i>Poncirus trifoliata</i> L. after inoculation with a mix of AM fungi <i>(Diversispora versiformis</i>, <i>Funneliformis mosseae</i>, and <i>Rhizophagus intraradices</i>) and single <i>F. mosseae</i>. After the second year of AM fungal inoculations, root mycorrhizal colonization (%), root vitality, hyphal length in soil, and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein content were significantly increased, while difficult-to-extract glomalin-related soil protein content was decreased. Two mycorrhizal fungal inoculation treatments collectively improved fruit quality parameters such as polar diameter, equatorial diameter, the weight of single fruits, fruit peel, and sarcocarp, coloration value, and soluble solids content. Our study, therefore, suggested that field inoculation with AM fungi improved root physiological activities in terms of mycorrhizal growth and root vitality and thus improved fruit quality. The effect of mixed-AM treatment was more significant than that of <i>F. mosseae</i> alone. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:41:36Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-76861ae975af4d89bc2b1cc1c9e39fc52023-11-23T03:20:27ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-12-011112129710.3390/agriculture11121297Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of CitrusMing-Ao Cao0Peng Wang1Abeer Hashem2Stephan Wirth3Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah4Qiang-Sheng Wu5College of Horticulture and Gardening, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, ChinaInstitute of Citrus Research, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Taizhou 318026, ChinaBotany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374 Müncheberg, GermanyPlant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Horticulture and Gardening, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, ChinaSoil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form a mutualistic symbiosis with plant roots and produce many benefits on host plants under potted conditions, while field inoculation of AM fungi on citrus (a woody plant) has been rarely reported. The present study aimed to analyze the changes in mycorrhizal growth, root vitality, and fruit quality of <i>Citrus reticulata</i> Blanco var. Ponkan mandarin cv. Jinshuigan grafted on <i>Poncirus trifoliata</i> L. after inoculation with a mix of AM fungi <i>(Diversispora versiformis</i>, <i>Funneliformis mosseae</i>, and <i>Rhizophagus intraradices</i>) and single <i>F. mosseae</i>. After the second year of AM fungal inoculations, root mycorrhizal colonization (%), root vitality, hyphal length in soil, and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein content were significantly increased, while difficult-to-extract glomalin-related soil protein content was decreased. Two mycorrhizal fungal inoculation treatments collectively improved fruit quality parameters such as polar diameter, equatorial diameter, the weight of single fruits, fruit peel, and sarcocarp, coloration value, and soluble solids content. Our study, therefore, suggested that field inoculation with AM fungi improved root physiological activities in terms of mycorrhizal growth and root vitality and thus improved fruit quality. The effect of mixed-AM treatment was more significant than that of <i>F. mosseae</i> alone.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/12/1297citrusfruitglomalinmycorrhizal inoculationnutrient acquisition |
| spellingShingle | Ming-Ao Cao Peng Wang Abeer Hashem Stephan Wirth Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah Qiang-Sheng Wu Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus Agriculture citrus fruit glomalin mycorrhizal inoculation nutrient acquisition |
| title | Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus |
| title_full | Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus |
| title_fullStr | Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus |
| title_short | Field Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improves Fruit Quality and Root Physiological Activity of Citrus |
| title_sort | field inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improves fruit quality and root physiological activity of citrus |
| topic | citrus fruit glomalin mycorrhizal inoculation nutrient acquisition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/12/1297 |
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