Effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on citrus seedling growth and nutrient uptake

Many soils are deficient in available nutrients, especially phosphorus (P), and therefore require considerable fertilizer application in order to obtain optimum plant growth.
However, as citrus is strongly mycorrhizal dependent it is important to use an inoculum for enhanced and healthy seedling growth; in addition, mycorrhiza can reduce the requirement of applied P fertilizers.
In order to use the optimum P fertilizer level for mycorrhizal inoculation, research on P fertilizer concentrations is still required; hence, the aim of this work was to determine the role of mycorrhizal inoculation on citrus seedling growth at different P concentrations.
Sterilized Menzilat series soil was treated with 0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg P₂O₅ per kg soil.
Fertilizer and sterilized soil were placed into 3.5 kg pots.
Experiments were conducted over a period of five months, and plant height, shoot diameter, shoot and root dry matter, mycorrhizal colonization, and tissue P and Zn concentration were determined.
Plant growth and nutrient uptake in mycorrhizae-inoculated plants was significantly increased.
As citrus seedlings are mycorrhizal dependent, under sterile and low fertile conditions plant growth was stunted and seedlings did not grow properly.
Seedling length, stem diameter and percentages of root inoculation were investigated, along with mycorrhizal dependency.
Seedlings inoculated with mycorrhiza were shown to be strongly mycorrhizal dependent.
The mycorrhizal inoculum potential of the soil can influence plant root growth, which primarily depends on suitable mycorrhizal partners.

XXX International Horticultural Congress IHC2018: International Symposium on Water and Nutrient Relations and Management of Horticultural Crops

İ. Ortaş

citrus, phosphorus, zinc, mycorrhizal dependency

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1253.11