Application of slow-release phosphorus fertilizers increases arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in the roots of apple trees

Van Geel, Maarten; De Beenhouwer, Matthias; Ceulemans, Tobias; Caes, Kenny; Ceustermans, An; Bylemans, Dany; Gomand, Ann; Lievens, Bart; Honnay, Olivier

doi:10.1007/S11104-015-2777-X

Title

Application of slow-release phosphorus fertilizers increases arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in the roots of apple trees

Author

Van Geel, Maarten

De Beenhouwer, Matthias

Ceulemans, Tobias

Caes, Kenny

Ceustermans, An

Bylemans, Dany

Gomand, Ann

Lievens, Bart

Honnay, Olivier

Abstract

Aims Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in the functioning of agricultural ecosystems. Therefore, understanding how the application of fertilizers, a common management practice, affects AMF communities is of major importance. Here we aimed to: (i) experimentally test whether different amounts and forms of phosphorus (P) fertilizer affect AMF diversity and community composition associated with the roots of apple trees (Malus domestica); (ii) identify differences in tolerance to P fertilization between AMF taxa. Methods We used 454-pyrosequencing of the small subunit rRNA gene amplicons to quantify AMF diversity and community composition in root samples obtained from a three year field experiment, with two inorganic, three slow-release P fertilization and one control treatment. Results The slow-release fertilizer treatments showed significantly higher AMF richness and differed in community composition compared to the inorganic fertilizer treatments. The distribution of AMF OTUs showed a significantly nested pattern. Additionally, AMF communities in the inorganic fertilizer treatments were a subset of the communities in the slow-release fertilizer treatments. Conclusions We demonstrate that application of slow-release fertilizers promoted AMF diversity in the roots of cultivated apple trees in comparison to the other treatments. The application of inorganic fertilizers elevated levels of plant-available P in the soil and selected only a small subset of abundant AMF, resulting in a lower AMF diversity. This may result in AMF communities dominated by inferior AMF mutualists.

Language

English

Source (journal)

Plant and soil. - 's-Gravenhage, 1949, currens

Publication

's-Gravenhage : 2016

ISSN

0032-079X [print]

1573-5036 [online]

DOI

10.1007/S11104-015-2777-X

Volume/pages