Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities on growth and nutrient uptake by grapevine rootstocks

Aim: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been shown to have potentially significant applications for sustainable agricultural ecosystems. Yet, there is still lack of evidence showing how different AMF community compositions can benefit grapevines. Therefore, this study is the first to investigate the different responses of grapevine rootstock following their inoculation with different AM fungal communities. Methods: AMF communities were initially identified based on spore extracted from trap cultures and DNA extracted from roots. A glasshouse experiment was then set up to determine the interaction between rootstock variety and different AMF communities using AMF communities originating under their own (i.e., ‘home’) soil and other rootstocks’ (i.e., ‘away’) soil. Plant growth and physiological responses were measured and assessed. Results: This study showed that distinct AMF communities had differential effects on grapevine rootstock growth and nutrient uptake. It was revealed that a rootstock performed better in the presence of its “home” AMF community. Moreover, the AMF communities had a significant direct effect by increasing plant biomass and nutrient uptake and indirectly by influencing the chlorophyll content in grapevine leaves through the increase of specific nutrients such as K, Mn, and Zn. Also, the presence of different species in the different communities indicated that some AMF species may deliver particular benefits to grapevine plants. Conclusion: This work has enhanced our understanding of community level AMF-grapevine interaction and provided additional insight of the ecosystem services they deliver which will be of advantage to the wine growers and the viticulture industry