Andrew D. Cartmill

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhance Tolerance of Rosa multiflora cv. Burr to Bicarbonate in Irrigation Water

ABSTRACT High bicarbonate (HCO3 −) of irrigation water can be detrimental to plant growth in sustainable horticultural production systems. The ability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), ZAC-19, (composed of Glomus albidum, Glomus claroideum, and Glomus diaphanum) to enhance tolerance to HCO3 − was tested on Rosa multiflora cv. Burr. Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonized and non-inoculated (non-AMF) plants were treated with 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM HCO3 −. Increasing HCO3 − concentration and associated high pH and electrical conductivity (EC)—reduced plant growth, nutrient uptake, and acid phosphatase activity, while increasing alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP). Inoculation with AMF enhanced plant tolerance to HCO3 −, as indicated by greater growth (leaf, stem, and total plant dry weight, leaf area and leaf area ratio), leaf elemental concentration [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), aluminum (Al), boron (B)], leaf chlorophyll concentration, higher mycorrhizal inoculation effect, lower root Fe reductase activity, and generally lower soluble ALP activity. While AMF colonization was reduced by increasing HCO3 − concentration, colonization still occurred at high HCO3 − concentration. At 2.5 mM HCO3 −, AMF plant growth was comparable to plants at 0 mM HCO3 −, further indicating the beneficial effect of AMF for alleviation of HCO3 − plant stress.

Controlled Release Fertilizer Increased Phytoremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Sandy Soil

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of the application of controlled release fertilizer [(CRF) 0, 4, 6, or 8 kg m–3] on Lolium multiflorum Lam. survival and potential biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons (0, 3000, 6000, or 15000 mg kg–1) in sandy soil. Plant adaptation, growth, photosynthesis, total chlorophyll, and proline content as well as rhizosphere microbial population (culturable heterotrophic fungal and bacterial populations) and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)-degradation were determined. Petroleum induced-toxicity resulted in reduced plant growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient status. Plant adaptation, growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content were enhanced by the application of CRF in contaminated soil. Proline content showed limited use as a physiological indicator of petroleum induced-stress in plants. Bacterial and filamentous fungi populations were stimulated by the petroleum concentrations. Bacterial populations were stimulated by CRF application. At low petroleum contamination, CRF did not enhance TPH-degradation. However, petroleum degradation in the rhizosphere was enhanced by the application of medium rates of CRF, especially when plants were exposed to intermediate and high petroleum contamination. Application of CRF allowed plants to overcome the growth impairment induced by the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils.

Supplementary calcium ameliorates ammonium toxicity by improving water status in agriculturally important species

Fertilization of plants with ammonium is highly desirable because it is less susceptible to leaching than nitrate, with associated reductions in environmental pollution and risk to human health; however, important agricultural species exhibit a reduction in growth when fertilized with high levels of ammonium. The present study proved that tolerance to ammonium can be increased in bell pepper plants when calcium is incorporated at higher concentrations; calcium should thus be integrated into crop management to enhance the tolerance of agricultural plants to excess ammonium.

Optimum Phosphorus Concentration for Growth of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don ‘Pacifica White’ in a Subirrigation and Top Watering System

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to quantify the optimum rates of water-soluble phosphorus (P) on the growth of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don ‘Pacifica White’ in soilless media in a recirculating subirrigation and top watering system. The experiment was designed so that only P varied between treatments; nitrogen (N), ammoniacal N to nitrate N ratio, and potassium (K) content were held constant. Media pH decreased with increasing P concentration in the nutrient solution in both the subirrigated and top-watered plants. Shoot N, P, K, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and copper were in general greater in the subirrigated plants when compared to top-watered plants. Shoot calcium, sulfur, iron, aluminum, and boron were greater in top-watered plants when compared to subirrigated plants. Optimal plant growth was achieved at ≥0.5 mM P in the subirrigated and top-watered plants, which is lower than what is usually commercially applied. Subirrigated plants were of greater quality and dry mass regardless of P concentration in the nutrient solution, when compared to top-watered plants.

ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL COLONIZATION DOES NOT ALLEVIATE SODIUM CHLORIDE-SALINITY STRESS IN VINCA [CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS (L.) G. DON]

We conducted a study to determine if inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) would enhance the tolerance of vinca [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don] plants to sodium chloride (NaCl)-induced salinity in irrigation water. Vinca tolerated salinity levels up to 40 mM. Chlorophyll concentration, proline synthesis, and total antioxidant activity were increased with saline irrigation, while leaf potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and boron (B) content decreased, suggesting a detrimental salinity effect. Despite the limited effect of increasing salinity on N content, NaCl-stressed vinca plants showed a marked decrease in nitrate reductase activity, which was associated with decreased leaf K and Fe total content. Mycorrhizal inoculation resulted in reduced growth when compared to non-AMF plants, regardless of salinity level. The K/sodium (Na) ratio decreased dramatically with increasing salinity regardless of AMF treatment. Suggesting, that the AMF isolate was not able to selectively uptake K and Ca, and avoid uptake of Na.

Biomass and Accumulation of Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium in Gladiolus as Affected by Heat Units and Corm Size

ABSTRACT In México, gladiolus is an important crop cultivated in the central part of the country. In ornamental geophytes, the size of bulbs is a critical factor, impacting plant growth and quality. The objective of the present study was to model the accumulation of potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) in gladiolus plants as affected by corm size (3.5, 3.0 and 2.5 cm). Regardless of corm size, total dry mass of plants accumulated in three different stages. The initial stage occurred during the corm sprouting phase and continued through the vegetative phase, ending either shortly before (plants from 3.5 cm corms), at (plants from 3.0 cm corms) or shortly after (plants from 2.5 cm corms) the heading phase. The second stage, on which the plants exhibited a rapid dry mass accumulation, occurred shortly before or shortly after the heading phase, finishing with the elongation of the flowering stem. The third stage showed the highest dry mass accumulation rate, coinciding with the elongation of the flowering stem and ending at the blooming of the spike. To complete all the phenological phases, gladiolus required 1818 heat units regardless of corm size. Not considering the nutrients provided by the corm, gladiolus required a total of 6.33, 5.59 and 5.01 mmol plant−1 of K, 2.22, 1.69 and 1.38 mmol plant−1 of Ca and 2.49, 2.00 and 1.68 mmol plant−1 of Mg when grown from 3.5, 3.0, and 2.5 cm corms. At the beginning of the vegetative phase, plants tended to increase Ca content at the expense of K, whereas the proportion of Mg remained unaffected, however, between the vegetative and heading phases, the proportion of Ca declined while that of K and Mg increased. At the end of the study, the proportion of K was much higher than that of Ca and Mg, whereas the proportion of Ca and Mg was similar.

Supplementary Calcium and Potassium Improve the Response of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) to Simultaneous Alkalinity, Salinity, and Boron Stress

ABSTRACT Irrigation water of poor quality that is high in salts, alkalinity-inducing compounds, and boron (B) threatens global agricultural production. The objective of the present study was to determine whether supplementary calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) ameliorate the response of tomato plants to a simultaneous combination of these stress conditions. Irrigation water high in alkalinity, salinity, and B reduced plant growth, which was associated with a partial impairment in the antioxidant system (reduction in catalase activity), impairment in water relations (reduced relative water content), decreased nutrient acquisition [lower nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), K, Ca, and magnesium (Mg) content]; and specific toxicity due to the increase in shoot sodium (Na) and B. However, stressed plants exhibited partially improved growth when supplemented with greater concentrations of Ca and K, which were associated with enhanced P concentration, maintenance of chlorophyll a concentration, and/or partially restored N, P, K, Ca, and Mg uptake.