Phosphorus Fertilization and Fungal Inoculations Affected the Physiology, Phosphorus Uptake and Growth of Spring Wheat Under Rainfed Conditions on the Canadian Prairies. Issue 2 (17th September 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, B. B.; Liu, W. Z.; Chang, S. X.; Anyia, A. O.
• Is Part Of: Journal of agronomy and crop science. Volume 199:Issue 2(2013:Apr.)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2012-09-17
• Subjects: Agronomy -- Periodicals; Crop science -- Periodicals; 630.5
• DOI: 10.1111/jac.12001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0931-2250

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en" id="jac12001-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Some fungal species have been shown to improve plant growth under drought conditions and to increase plant phosphorus (P) uptake from the soil. How moisture limitation, P availability and fungal inoculation interact to affect plant physiology and growth is, however, poorly understood. Here, we studied the combined effects of fungal (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) or <italic>Penicillium</italic> spp.) inoculations and phosphorus (P) fertilization (0, 45 and 90 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) on the net rate of photosynthesis, water‐use efficiency, P uptake and growth of spring wheat (<italic>Triticum aestivum</italic> var. Superb) under field conditions at two locations (Castor and Vegreville) in Alberta, Canada. Both fungal inoculation and P application increased the rate of photosynthesis. Under the same P level, AMF inoculation had a greater positive effect on the rate of photosynthesis than <italic>Penicillium</italic> inoculation. The AMF inoculation increased the instantaneous water‐use efficiency (WUEi) of plants at Castor, but not at Vegreville. Leaf carbon isotope discrimination (CID, Δ<sup>13</sup>C) increased with the rate of P application but was not affected by fungal inoculations. Phosphorus concentrations of stem and seed increased with both fungal inoculation and P application irrespective of location, with AMF inoculation showing the largest effects. The interaction between P addition and fungal inoculation was significant for stem P concentration in Vegreville. Both fungal inoculation and P application increased the leaf area index (LAI), biomass production and grain yield at both locations. Under the same P level, AMF inoculation had a greater positive effect on LAI, biomass production and grain yields than <italic>Penicillium</italic> inoculation. Morphological characters such as spike length and kernels/spike were also improved by fungal inoculation and P application at both locations. We conclude that the studied sites were deficient in P availability, and both fungal inoculation and P application improved P uptake and crop productivity, while the effect of fungal inoculation on water‐use efficiency was site specific.</p> </abstract>