Author
|
Submitted to: HortTechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2003 Publication Date: 1/1/2004 Citation: Scagel, Carolyn F. Inoculation With Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi And Rhizobacteria Alters Nutrient Allocation And Flowering Of Harlequin Flower. HortTechnology. 2004. 14(1) p. 39-48 Interpretive Summary: The influence of VAMF inoculation on productivity of different crops has been well documented, however few reports detail how differences carbon and nutrient allocation patterns between mycorrhizal plants and non-mycorrhizal plants can influence flowering and bulb production. We assessed whether addition of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (VAMF) inoculum or rhizosphere organisms from VAMF inoculum alters aspects of flowering, corm production, or corm quality of Harlequin Flower (Sparaxis tricolor). Using pasteurized and non-pasteurized growing medium, plants were inoculated with either inoculum of the VAMF, Glomus intraradices, or washings from the inoculum. Plant growth, flower production, corm production, and composition were measured for two growing cycles after inoculation. While inoculation with VAMF promoted shoot emergence, leaf production, and flower production of Harlequin Flower, inoculation also altered aspects of biomass partitioning and corm composition that play an important role in the production of this crop for corms and cormels. Inoculation of Harlequin Flower with the VAMF, Glomus intraradices, influenced several aspects of plant development and growth via changes in mineral uptake, resource storage, and biomass partitioning. There are also other organisms associated with our VAMF inoculum that have beneficial effects on the growth and productivity of Harlequin flower. Technical Abstract: We assessed whether addition of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (VAMF) inoculum or rhizosphere organisms from VAMF inoculum alters aspects of flowering, corm production, or corm quality of Harlequin Flower (Sparaxis tricolor). Using pasteurized and non-pasteurized growing medium, plants were inoculated with either inoculum of the VAMF, Glomus intraradices, or washings from the inoculum. Plant growth, flower production, corm production, and composition were measured for two growing cycles after inoculation. Shoots of plants inoculated with VAMF emerged 2 days earlier than shoots on non-inoculated plants or plants inoculated with washings from inoculum. Flowers on plants inoculated with VAMF opened 7-8 days earlier than flowers on non-inoculated plants. Plants inoculated with VAMF produced approximately 8 more flowers per plant and more flowers per inflorescence than non-inoculated plants. In the first growing cycle after inoculation, VAMF inoculated plants partitioned a higher proportion of biomass to cormel production than to daughter corm production. Corms of plants inoculated with VAMF had higher concentration and contents of Zn, S, N, amino acids, and carbohydrates than corms from non-inoculated plants. When plants were inoculated with washings from VAMF inoculum, we found that the rhizosphere organisms associated with the Glomus intraradices inoculum significantly influenced several measures of plant development, growth, and corm production. Since root colonization by VAMF on plants inoculated with washings from inoculum was equal to that of non-inoculated plants, this suggests that there are organisms associated with our VAMF inoculum that have beneficial effects on the growth and productivity of Harlequin Flower. |
