288
10.5.2 Mycorrhizae for Prosopis alba
Mycorrhizae are classified according to the characteristics of the infection and the
mutual organisms that establish it. The most important group is the endomycorrhizae, which has been subdivided into several groups, the most significant being the
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). About 96% of plants form this type of mycorrhiza and are the most abundant group of mycorrhizal fungi. The absorption of
phosphate through AMF results in an increase in the absorption of inorganic phosphorus (which is an almost immobile element in the soil) and therefore in the growth
of plants. Furthermore, the AMF-plant symbiosis increases the stability of soil
aggregates in natural systems, acting as an adherent, agglutinating soil particles into
more stable aggregates, therefore increasing water retention. In arid and semiarid
ecosystems, plant establishment is increased when mycorrhizal plants are used,
which have greater protection and tolerance to adverse soil and climate conditions
(Begum et al. 2019).
In order to isolate, characterize, and obtain mixed native AMF inoculants that
confer tolerance to abiotic stress (i.e., drought, salinity) in P. alba seedlings, a
microbiological study was carried out (Sagadin et al. 2018). Soil was collected from
two P. alba pure stands with contrasting edaphoclimatic characteristics: Colonia
Benítez (CB) 27° 20′ 00″ S, 58° 55′ 60″ W (1300 mm of mean annual precipitation)
and Padre Lozano (PL) 23° 12′ 51″ S, 63° 50′ 39″ W (650 mm) (Cabrera 1976). Soil
AMF species were identified using Medicago sativa, Sorghum bicolor, and P. alba
as trap plants. The predominant presence of the Glomeraceae family was recorded
in the isolated inoculum of trap plants. Species such as Funneliformis mosseae and
Rhizophagus intraradices have been identified, as well as Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Claroideoglomeraceae), frequently reported in association with the vegetation
of arid and semiarid ecosystems.
To evaluate the performance of inocula in nursery, a comparative test was carried
out with the application of fertilizer (Salto et al. 2019b). The inoculation was applied
at the moment of sowing by inoculating 20 g of each inoculum (PL and CB) and a
mixture of them (MIX). The fertilization treatments were fertilization (100%),
diluted fertilization (25%), and without fertilization (NF) according to Salto et al.
(2016). After 120 days of sowing, the following variables were measured: diameter
at the base (DAB), total height (H), and number of leaves (NL). Percentage of
mycorrhizal colonization was determined in a sample of five seedlings per treatment. On the other hand, 15 seedlings per treatment (120-day old) were transferred
to the greenhouse and acclimatized during 10 days. Then, irrigation was suspended
to approximately 10% of the soil water content. The recovery was evaluated in 145day seedlings by watering them to their maximum capacity for 10 days and measuring resprouting capacity as number of plants with new green leaves.
The addition of 100% and 25% of fertilization solution to AMF inoculated treatments did not promote significant differences (p = 0.4561) in the percentage of
mycorrhizal colonization, suggesting that the addition of fertilizer did not alter the
D. López Lauenstein et al.
10.5.2 Mycorrhizae for Prosopis alba
Mycorrhizae are classified according to the characteristics of the infection and the
mutual organisms that establish it. The most important group is the endomycorrhizae, which has been subdivided into several groups, the most significant being the
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). About 96% of plants form this type of mycorrhiza and are the most abundant group of mycorrhizal fungi. The absorption of
phosphate through AMF results in an increase in the absorption of inorganic phosphorus (which is an almost immobile element in the soil) and therefore in the growth
of plants. Furthermore, the AMF-plant symbiosis increases the stability of soil
aggregates in natural systems, acting as an adherent, agglutinating soil particles into
more stable aggregates, therefore increasing water retention. In arid and semiarid
ecosystems, plant establishment is increased when mycorrhizal plants are used,
which have greater protection and tolerance to adverse soil and climate conditions
(Begum et al. 2019).
In order to isolate, characterize, and obtain mixed native AMF inoculants that
confer tolerance to abiotic stress (i.e., drought, salinity) in P. alba seedlings, a
microbiological study was carried out (Sagadin et al. 2018). Soil was collected from
two P. alba pure stands with contrasting edaphoclimatic characteristics: Colonia
Benítez (CB) 27° 20′ 00″ S, 58° 55′ 60″ W (1300 mm of mean annual precipitation)
and Padre Lozano (PL) 23° 12′ 51″ S, 63° 50′ 39″ W (650 mm) (Cabrera 1976). Soil
AMF species were identified using Medicago sativa, Sorghum bicolor, and P. alba
as trap plants. The predominant presence of the Glomeraceae family was recorded
in the isolated inoculum of trap plants. Species such as Funneliformis mosseae and
Rhizophagus intraradices have been identified, as well as Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Claroideoglomeraceae), frequently reported in association with the vegetation
of arid and semiarid ecosystems.
To evaluate the performance of inocula in nursery, a comparative test was carried
out with the application of fertilizer (Salto et al. 2019b). The inoculation was applied
at the moment of sowing by inoculating 20 g of each inoculum (PL and CB) and a
mixture of them (MIX). The fertilization treatments were fertilization (100%),
diluted fertilization (25%), and without fertilization (NF) according to Salto et al.
(2016). After 120 days of sowing, the following variables were measured: diameter
at the base (DAB), total height (H), and number of leaves (NL). Percentage of
mycorrhizal colonization was determined in a sample of five seedlings per treatment. On the other hand, 15 seedlings per treatment (120-day old) were transferred
to the greenhouse and acclimatized during 10 days. Then, irrigation was suspended
to approximately 10% of the soil water content. The recovery was evaluated in 145day seedlings by watering them to their maximum capacity for 10 days and measuring resprouting capacity as number of plants with new green leaves.
The addition of 100% and 25% of fertilization solution to AMF inoculated treatments did not promote significant differences (p = 0.4561) in the percentage of
mycorrhizal colonization, suggesting that the addition of fertilizer did not alter the
D. López Lauenstein et al.