Articles
Role of mycorrhizal spontaneous flora in organic horticulture
Article number
1354_35
Pages
269 – 276
Language
English
Abstract
The mycorrhizal association is not a biunivocal single plant fungi relationship, but more properly a complex, multiple interaction which involves mycorrhizal fungi and plant communities.
In horticultural systems, where agroecological service crops (e.g., cover crops and living mulches) are often introduced to contain weeds, the selection of spontaneous flora takes place in function of the species used in mixture.
Winter-cereal cover crops, for example, may drive the spontaneous flora community towards higher abundance of the supporting arbuscular mycorrhizal (SAM) trait.
We verified the effect of cereal cover crop introduction in organic horticultural systems on diversity and traits of spontaneous flora community, focusing on their role in promoting crop mycorrhization, yield and quality, or plant growth.
In 2014, two field experiments were set: i) organic melon (Cucumis melo L.) at CREA-OF MOVELTE experimental site (Monsampolo del Tronto, AP, Italy), where rye (Secale cereale L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), spelt (Triticum dicoccum L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were introduced as cover crops and terminated by flattening before melon transplanting, compared to a control without cover crop; ii) young organic citrus orchards at CREA-OFA PALAP9 experimental site (Lentini, SR, Italy), where citrus plant rows were intercropped with barley, compared to natural cover (as control). Ecological characterization of spontaneous flora, including SAM trait, root mycorrhization and species richness were determined in both systems.
Melon yield and quality (as sugar content) were evaluated.
On young citrus trees, plant growth, foliar P and SPAD were determined.
A positive effect of wheat as cover crop was observed on melon mycorrhization and °Brix, mediated by Rumex crispus L. and Polygonum aviculare L., both having SAM trait.
In the citrus orchard, barley intercropping selected Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. and Diplotaxis erucoides L., both SAM species, being positively correlated citrus root mycorrhization with P uptake and canopy diameter.
In horticultural systems, where agroecological service crops (e.g., cover crops and living mulches) are often introduced to contain weeds, the selection of spontaneous flora takes place in function of the species used in mixture.
Winter-cereal cover crops, for example, may drive the spontaneous flora community towards higher abundance of the supporting arbuscular mycorrhizal (SAM) trait.
We verified the effect of cereal cover crop introduction in organic horticultural systems on diversity and traits of spontaneous flora community, focusing on their role in promoting crop mycorrhization, yield and quality, or plant growth.
In 2014, two field experiments were set: i) organic melon (Cucumis melo L.) at CREA-OF MOVELTE experimental site (Monsampolo del Tronto, AP, Italy), where rye (Secale cereale L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), spelt (Triticum dicoccum L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were introduced as cover crops and terminated by flattening before melon transplanting, compared to a control without cover crop; ii) young organic citrus orchards at CREA-OFA PALAP9 experimental site (Lentini, SR, Italy), where citrus plant rows were intercropped with barley, compared to natural cover (as control). Ecological characterization of spontaneous flora, including SAM trait, root mycorrhization and species richness were determined in both systems.
Melon yield and quality (as sugar content) were evaluated.
On young citrus trees, plant growth, foliar P and SPAD were determined.
A positive effect of wheat as cover crop was observed on melon mycorrhization and °Brix, mediated by Rumex crispus L. and Polygonum aviculare L., both having SAM trait.
In the citrus orchard, barley intercropping selected Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. and Diplotaxis erucoides L., both SAM species, being positively correlated citrus root mycorrhization with P uptake and canopy diameter.
Publication
Authors
A. Trinchera, E. Testani, G. Roccuzzo, G. Campanelli, C. Ciaccia
Keywords
weed, SAM trait, cover crop, melon, citrus orchard, root mycorrhization
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