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Plant growth promotion traits of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are well-known, though documented mainly under controlled greenhouse conditions with little evidence from field experiments. Here we examined the contribution of native AMF communities to maize growth in two field experiments in luvisols with low and high P bioavailability and various mineral (without, NK, NPK) and organic fertilization schemes (without and with Bokashi (fermented soil amendment)). In the first experiment, maize was grown in field mesocosms with high P soil using soil sterilization to obtain non-mycorrhiza control treatments. In the second experiment, maize was grown in a low P soil in the same geographic region as in the first experiment, but now with the fungicide Benomyl (carbendazim) as a non-mycorrhiza control treatment. Main results show that eradicating AMF and other soil microbiota in the high P soil increased plant growth, resulting in a negative mycorrhiza growth response most strongly expressed in the absence of fertilization. In the low P soil experiment, positive mycorrhiza growth responses were observed in the vegetative growth phase, but this trend did not translate into increased yields. In conclusion, under the experimental conditions employed in the present field study in luvisols with low and high P bioavailability, in general the mycorrhiza growth response in the vegetative maize growth phase was respectively positive and negative. Our results confirm that soil P bioavailability determines mycorrhiza growth response in maize, which should be considered when managing AMF in maize agroecosystems. |
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