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Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae of winter and spring cereals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. G. Buwalda
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts., AL5 2JQ
D. P. Stribley
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts., AL5 2JQ
P. B. Tinker
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts., AL5 2JQ

Summary

The importance of mycorrhizal infection for the growth of wheat and barley sown in winter and spring was assessed in two field experiments. Low temperatures during winter restricted the development of mycorrhizal infection, and calculations of ‘thermal time’ indicated that the percentage of root length infected did not increase when mean temperatures were less than 5 °C. Hence infection was less in the winter-sown crops than in the spring-sown crops at early stages of plant development. However, the effects of mycorrhizal infection on growth were greater in winter-sown than in spring-sown wheat.

At all levels of applied phosphorus up to 60 kg P/ha, artificial inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi increased the yields of both cereals at each sowing date by 17–25% after indigenous mycorrhizal fungi had been removed by fumigation, but the effects were smaller on non-fumigated plots. The results confirmed the potential importance of mycorrhizal infection for the growth of cereals.

Mycorrhizal infection increased the phosphorus concentration in the plant tissue at very early stages of growth, but the effect generally declined with time.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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