Exploring native arbuscular mycorrhizal diversity of agricultural lands of Kumaun Himalaya and its potential for plant growth promotion
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Date
2018-11
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM) is a symbiotic relation between roots of higher plants and members of Glomeromycota class of fungi. This symbiotic relationship results in increased water and nutrient uptake along with enhanced tolerance towards biotic and abiotic stress of plants. Although commercial AM inoculum are available but, now it is widely accepted that native AM fungi (AMF) are more efficient in imparting benefits to the plant. In the current study, the native mycorrhizal status of ten agricultural lands located at different altitudes of Kumaun Himalaya was studied. The native AMF population was enriched in glasshouse by traditional trap culturing. The potential augmentation of native AMF population by application of Parthenium based biochar was also performed. Further, the enriched AMF was used as inoculum to investigate the potential of native AMF communities to promote plant growth under irrigated and water stressed condition. in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana). The studied sampling sites showed rich AMF communities with highest spore density of 28 spores/ g soil was observed at highest altitude i.e. Ghorpatta (2185 m asl). The AMF diversity varied along the altitude, however, morphological evidence suggested Funneliformis mosseae and Claroideoglomus claroideum as the common species found across the altitudinal range indicating some influence of same agricultural practices and cropping system. Parthenium biochar amendment at application rate of 5 g/ kg soil enhanced the mycorrhizal activity along with promoting maize (Zea mays) plant growth and foliar nutrient content. After enrichment by trap culturing, the native AMF communities were tested for their plant growth promotion potential in wheat and finger millet. All the developed inoculum improved the plant growth in both crops but the response varied. Nachini and Dwarson were found to be the most effective inoculum and were able to ameliorate drought tolerance in finger millet by enhancing SOD activity and proline content, while reducing the level of MDA and H2O2. Illumina MiSeq results indicated that trap culturing enhanced the population of opportunistic AMF species, out of which unidentified species of Acaulospora genus was the most dominant (56.8 %) and it is possible that this species is responsible for the growth promotion of plants. It is also found that under drought condition external phosphorus application of 15.5 ppm reduced the mycorrhizal intensity in finger millet plants. However, the expression of common symbiotic genes SYMRK and CCaMK didn’t show a statistically significant reduction, thus, they might not be responsible for phosphorus mediated inhibition of mycorrhizal symbiosis.
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