Organic fertilization changes the response of mycelium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their sporulation to mineral NPK supply

Abstract

The synergetic effect of organic (cow manure) and mineral fertilization on the development arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi was demonstrated. The length of AM mycelium and sporulation were used as sensitive markers of the physiological state of soil AM fungal population. In manured treatments, both parameters increased in proportion with increasing mineral fertilization. In unmanured soil, the opposite trend was observed for the length of AM hyphae, which decreased with increasing mineral fertilization. Correlation analysis showed the dependence of length of AM hyphae and sporulation on soil available phosphorus. The correlation was negative in soil with no mineral fertilization and positive in soil supplied with luxury doses of mineral fertilizer.