Articles
The effect of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and substrate type on growth and flowering of Gardenia jasminoides
Article number
1327_67
Pages
509 – 514
Language
English
Abstract
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis, Rubiaceae) is a calcifuge woody plant with shiny dark green leaves and heavily fragrant white flowers.
Gardenia has a high commercial interest, as it is widely used as an indoor pot plant and a garden plant in warm temperate and subtropical climates.
Many varieties with compact plant shape and large, long-flowering forms have been bred for horticulture.
In the present study, we determined the effect of inoculation with two strains of Rhizophagus irregularis, a cosmopolitan arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), on the growth of gardenia under commercial greenhouse conditions with the aim of reducing phosphate fertilization and promoting root and foliage growth.
Stem cuttings were put for rooting under fog on peat:perlite (1:1, or 95:5, v/v) and following the rooted cuttings were transplanted on the corresponding substrates that had been inoculated with AMF. The AMF had been isolated from the root-zones of vegetable crops, grown either on acidic or slightly alkaline soil.
Two substrates without AMF were used as control.
Plants were fertilized weekly with N-P-K 18:4:17. In the 95:5 peat substrate, the addition of both AMF inocula increased fresh and dry weight of both aboveground and root system of the plants.
In the 1:1 peat substrate, the inoculation with AMF did not affect the fresh and dry weight of the aboveground part.
An increase of the fresh and dry weight of the root system was observed, following inoculation with the AMF strain isolated from acidic soil.
Both AMF inocula neither affected shoot number and length, nor time of flowering and flower number.
In conclusion, under reduced phosphate fertilization, inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi favored the growth of gardenia plants.
Especially in the high-peat substrate (95:5), which is used in commercial gardenia cultivation, the development of extensive rooting system and secondarily the robustness of the plant canopy was mainly promoted.
Gardenia has a high commercial interest, as it is widely used as an indoor pot plant and a garden plant in warm temperate and subtropical climates.
Many varieties with compact plant shape and large, long-flowering forms have been bred for horticulture.
In the present study, we determined the effect of inoculation with two strains of Rhizophagus irregularis, a cosmopolitan arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), on the growth of gardenia under commercial greenhouse conditions with the aim of reducing phosphate fertilization and promoting root and foliage growth.
Stem cuttings were put for rooting under fog on peat:perlite (1:1, or 95:5, v/v) and following the rooted cuttings were transplanted on the corresponding substrates that had been inoculated with AMF. The AMF had been isolated from the root-zones of vegetable crops, grown either on acidic or slightly alkaline soil.
Two substrates without AMF were used as control.
Plants were fertilized weekly with N-P-K 18:4:17. In the 95:5 peat substrate, the addition of both AMF inocula increased fresh and dry weight of both aboveground and root system of the plants.
In the 1:1 peat substrate, the inoculation with AMF did not affect the fresh and dry weight of the aboveground part.
An increase of the fresh and dry weight of the root system was observed, following inoculation with the AMF strain isolated from acidic soil.
Both AMF inocula neither affected shoot number and length, nor time of flowering and flower number.
In conclusion, under reduced phosphate fertilization, inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi favored the growth of gardenia plants.
Especially in the high-peat substrate (95:5), which is used in commercial gardenia cultivation, the development of extensive rooting system and secondarily the robustness of the plant canopy was mainly promoted.
Authors
M. Papafotiou, Ch. Kokotsakis, A. Kavadia, C. Ehaliotis
Keywords
canopy growth, cape jasmine, floriculture, phosphate fertilization, root growth
Groups involved
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Working Group Humulus and Other Cannabaceae
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