Abstract
Background and aims: Inoculation with Penicillium bilaii has been reported to increase plant growth, which is attributed to increase availability of phosphorus (P), but similar effects have been observed with no P limitation, suggesting that other mechanisms may be involved. The aim of this work was to evaluate the interaction between available soil P and P. bilaii inoculation on plant growth. Methods: Maize plants (Zea mays) inoculated with P. bilaii and non-inoculated were grown in pot experiments in three soils with different inherent P availability, and in a low P availability soil with different additions of mineral P, both with and without supplementation of all other macro and micronutrients. Results: We found a positive interaction between P bilaii and available P, when other nutrients were applied, with P bilaii inoculation resulting in increased root growth and thus nutrient uptake and plant growth. By contrast, when other nutrients were not supplied, little effect on plant growth or P uptake was observed, except for root length that tended to decrease in inoculated plants with P addition. Conclusions: The effects of P. bilaii inoculation were related to root growth and function, but were dependent on the nutrient status in the soil environment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Plant and Soil |
| Volume | 431 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 159-173 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISSN | 0032-079X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Keywords
- Penicillium bilaii
- Phosphorus availability
- Phosphorus-solubilising microorganisms
- Plant growth promotion
- Root length