Effect of AM fungi and phosphorus fertilization on P-use efficiency, nutrient acquisition and root morphology in pea (Pisum sativum L.) in an acid Alfisol

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 689 - 701
• Main Authors: Yadav, Arti, Suri, V. K., Kumar, Anil, Choudhary, Anil K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 03-04-2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: acid alfisol; Acidic soils; Acids; Agronomy; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Arbuscular mycorrhizas; Bulk density; Colonization; Crop yield; Efficiency; Fertilization; Fertilizers; Flowering; Fungi; Inoculation; Irrigation; Micronutrients; Morphology; Nitrogen; Nodules; nutrient acquisition; Nutrient availability; Nutrient status; Nutrients; Organic carbon; Organic soils; Phosphorus; phosphorus-use efficiency; Pisum sativum; Plants (botany); Potassium; root morphology; Root nodules; Rooting; Soil density; Soil testing
• ISSN: 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2017.1406107

Phosphorus (P) availability to plants is a major constraint in acid soils. A study was conducted to determine the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) under varying inorganic P and irrigation regimes on P availability and P-use efficiency in garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in a Himalayan acid Alfisol. The experiment comprised of 14 treatments replicated thrice in a randomized block design. The results revealed that integrated use of AM fungi and inorganic P at either of the two irrigation regimes (IW/CPE
0.6
or IW/CPE
1.0
) enhanced the green pea pod weight, green pod productivity and agronomic efficiency of applied P to the extent of 8.4%, 7.2% and 30.7%, respectively, over non-AMF counterparts as well as "generalized recommended NPK dose and irrigations (GRD)." AMF inoculation also led to enhanced nitrogen (N), P and potassium (K) acquisition (uptake) by 16.3%, 18.2% and 6% over non-AMF counterpart treatments. Further, AMF inoculation at varying P and irrigation regimes sharply enhanced the rooting depth (21.4%), root volume (23.5%), root dry weight (14.9%), root weight density (13.7%) as well as N concentration in root nodules (3.4%) over non-AMF counterparts and GRD practice. AMF also enhanced the mycorrhizal root colonization by 3.2 folds at flowering stage in AMF inoculated pea plants. AMF-imbedded treatments did not alter the available soil nutrient status (macronutrients and micronutrients) significantly in comparison to non-AMF counterparts in pea, available P status, however, increased to the extent of 6.5% over initial status. Further, AMF imbedded plots showed a slight build-up in soil organic carbon with nominal decrease in soil bulk density. AMF inoculation in pea also led to fertilizer P economy by about 25% soil-test-based P dose. Overall, AMF holds great potential in enhancing nutrient acquisition especially P besides influencing root morphology in order to harness better crop yields vis-à-vis fertilizer P economy by about 25% soil-test-based P dose in Himalayan acid Alfisol.