Effect of the Mycorrhiza Application on the Agronomical Properties of Sweet Corn Varieties

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in 2012 - 2013, by using the Factorial experiment on four varieties (Jubilee, Martha, Merit and Sunshine) in 3 repetitions. In the experiment, the effects of the mycorrhiza application on the Plant Height, Stem Diameter, Leaf Nu mber, Flag Leaf Length, Flag Leaf Width, Number of grains per plant, 100 - seed weight and protein percent of the varieties were observed. Accordingly, it was observed that the mycorrhiza application increases the Plant Height, Stem Diameter, Leaf Number, Fl ag Leaf Width, Number of grains per plant, 100 - seed weight and protein percent values for the varieties, while the increase in the Flag Leaf Height was deemed to be statistically insignificant. It is believed that the mycorrhiza application will be benefic ial from the perspective of enhancing plant development both in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

Keywords

Arbuscular mycorrhiza, flag leaf, leaf number, maize, plant height.

Introduction

Microbial populations living in rhisosphere where the root and soil integrates effect the plant development and health and are important for the sustainability of the agro-ecosystem. Mycorrhiza is among the most important fungi that can be found in many organisms. Compared with some grains, they compose 70% of the mass of the soil fungi and can be found in pretty much all of the ecosystems in the world [1]. All plants form a symbiotic relation with mycorrhiza in some way. Therefore, living with mycorrhiza is among the most fundamental and common symbiotic relations in the world [2].

The most important property of the mycorrhizas is that they increase the yield in low yield soils. It was proven that mycorrhizas increase the absorption of macro elements in the soil and they provide a better development for the plants’ roots, bodies and leaves, and as a result of this they increase yield through increased dry matter amount [3] and increase the absorption of Zn and Cu which are very scarce in arid region soils, thus increasing the plant’s resistance to draught stress [4,5]. But many symbiotic systems cannot benefit sufficiently from this relation. Because the pesticides and fungicides used in agricultural production cause the death of these organisms as well. Due to these, we end up with less productive soils that are getting ever poorer from the biological perspective [6]. Yet the mycorrhiza fungi levels in the soil increase the EC level, prohibits toxic materials and pathogens and neutralizes them for the plant, that enhance plant growth [7-12] that contribute to the aggregation of soil [13,14].

The mycorrhiza fungi species in the soil differentiate from each other and from other fungi varieties in the fixation of plant nutritional materials in the soil –especially phosphorus absorption-, healthy plant development and increasing plant resistance towards stressful conditions [15,16]. Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM) are the ones that are associated with many various plant families [17].

Corn plant is the third most important grain product in the world, following wheat and rice. Both in human nutrition and as an animal feed, it can be used as a raw material in various branches of industry, thus becoming an easily used material in the agricultural product design of many countries. Approximately 90% of the corns produced in the world are being used for human nutrition and as an animal feed. Of this, about 65-70% are used as animal feed, while 20% is used directly by people. The rest 8-10% are being used in industry.

Besides many researches that focused on the effectiveness of mycorrhiza under stress conditions (drought, salinity, acidity etc.) and obtained positive outcomes, this research is among the rather few ones that focused on determining the effectiveness of mycorrhiza under normal cultivation conditions.

Materials and Methods

Materials

This experiment was conducted in Uludag University Technical Sciences Vocational High School Test Field in 2012-2013 and by using four varieties (Jubilee, Martha, Merit and Sunshine).

Methods

The study used Factorial experiment on four varieties (Jubilee, Martha, Merit and Sunshine) in 3 repetitions. During the vegetation, the plants were given 200 kg.ha^-1 nitrogen, 30 kg.ha^-1 potassium and 90 kg.ha^-1 phosphorus fertilizer. The first half of the nitrogen and all of the potassium and phosphorus were mixed in the soil prior to planting. The rest of the nitrogen was given via drip irrigation method once the plants reached 40-50 cm of height (4-6 leave phase). Each field experiment was set with 70 cm between lines and 20 cm above the lines, in an area of 21 m² (5m x 4.2.m). Once the corn emerged and reached 15-20 cm of height, the large leaved grasses were hand-picked. The varieties were watered four times; in the seedling, before tasselling, silking and finally during the seed filling (ear filling) stages, via drip irrigation. The glomus mosseae variety mycorrhiza was used in the research. The seeds of the varieties used in the experiment were separated into two patches, as inoculated with mycorrhiza and not inoculated with mycorrhiza. The characteristics of the experiment soil are presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Characteristics of soil test.

During the experiment, Plant Height, Stem Diameter, Leaf Number, Flag Leaf Length, Flag Leaf Width, Number of grains per plant, 100-seed weight and protein percent of the varieties were observed.
The variance analyses were conducted using the Minitab 16 software.

Results and Discussion

Plant Height

The first property that was analyzed in the research was the plant height. The variance analysis for plant height of corn varieties that were and were not applied mycorrhiza are presented in Table 2. According to this table, plant height and mycorrhiza efficiency for the varieties were found to be statistically significant, while the Variety x Mycorrhiza effectiveness was found to be statistically insignificant. The highest plant height in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Jubilee while the lowest was achieved by Sunshine (Fig 1).

Table 2: Analaysis of variance means sequares traits varieties of Corn

Figure 1: Variation in the plant height of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

We know that plant height can change due to genetic factors and environmental conditions. In the research, it was observed that mycorrhiza application contributes positively to plant height compared with the samples that were not applied mycorrhiza. Many research conducted in this topic show that mycorrhiza application contributes positively to plant height [18-21].

Stem Diameter

As can be seen in Table 2, the difference between the stem diameters of the varieties were found to be statistically insignificant, while the effect of mycorrhiza application on stem diameter was found to be statistically significant. But Variety x Mycorrhiza interaction was found to be statistically insignificant. The largest stem diameter in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Merit and Sunshine with 5.62 cm (Fig 2).

Figure 2: Variation in the stem diameter of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

The stem diameter in corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza were increased in our experiment, and this result is in parallel with the findings of some researchers [22,23].

Leaf Number

As a result of the conducted variance analysis, the difference between the number of leaves for corn varieties and mycorrhiza efficiency was found to be statistically significant, while But Variety x Mycorrhiza interaction was found to be statistically insignificant. The highest number of leaves in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Merit (12.46) and the lowest by Jubilee (10.90) (Fig 3).

Figure 3: Variation in the leaf number of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

Flag Leaf Length

The variance analysis for flag leaf length of corn varieties that were and were not applied mycorrhiza are presented in Table 2. As can be seen in Table 2, the difference between the flag leaf length of the varieties were found to be statistically significant at 5% level while Variety x Mycorrhiza interaction with mycorrhiza application was found to be statistically insignificant. The highest flag leaf length in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Sunshine (Fig 4).

Figure 4: Variation in the flag leaf length of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

Flag leaf and other leaves of the plant are fundamental photosynthesis organs of the plant. A growth that can be induced in those organs will clearly result in the photosynthesis amount, thus will reflect positively to the yield of the varieties. The leave numbers of the varieties used in the experiment, as well as the flag leaf length and width were positively affected by the mycorrhiza application to an extent, yet this increase in the flag leaf length was deemed to be statistically insignificant (Table 2).

Flag Leaf Width

As a result of the variance analyses for flag leaf width; statistical differences were determined for mycorrhiza application at 1% level while differences for the species were found at 5% level, while Variety x Mycorrhiza interaction was found to be statistically insignificant (Table 2). The largest flag leaf width in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Sunshine variety (4.55 cm) and the smallest was achieved by Merit (4.08 cm)(Fig 5).

Figure 5: Variation in the flag leaf width of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

Number of Grains per Plant

Another criteria observed in the research was number of grains per plant. As a result of the variance analyses conducted, both the differences between the species and the mycorrhiza application were found to be statistically insignificant, while Variety x Mycorrhiza interaction was found to be statistically insignificant, as it was in the other results (Table 2). The largest number of grains per plant in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Sunshine with 885.28 number of grains per plant (Fig 6).

Figure 6: Variation in the number of grains per plant of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

100-Seed Weight

The variance analysis for 100-seed weight for corn varieties that were and were not applied mycorrhiza are presented in Table 2. As can be seen from Table 2, the differences were determined for mycorrhiza application at 1% level while differences for the species were found at 5% level. The highest number of leaves in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Martha (272,1gr) and the lowest by Merit (245,7gr) (Fig 7).

Figure 7: Variation in the 100-seed weight of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

The research show that applications increase the 100-seed weight [18,25]. Our research provided similar outcomes to these (Fig. 7).

Protein Percent

As a result of the variance analyses, the difference between the protein percent between the varieties and the mycorrhiza application were found to be statistically significant at 1% level while Variety x Mycorrhiza interaction was found to be statistically insignificant (Table 2). The highest protein percent in mycorrhiza applied was achieved by Jubilee variety (11.85%) and the lowest was achieved by Martha (10.0%) (Fig 8).

Figure 8: Variation in the protein percent of the corn varieties that were applied mycorrhiza and were not applied mycorrhiza

The last property that was analyzed was protein percent. Similar to many other properties, mycorrhiza application was found to increase protein percent (Fig. 8). This result is similar to that found by Uyanoz et al [26].

Conclusion

As a result, the effects of Mycorrhizas on the host plant differ from plant to plant [27,28]. Therefore, it is believed that considering the dependency of different plants on the mycorrhiza life effects the plants’ population structure and dynamic on the first hand, determination of VAM creation in different plant families and different plant varieties within the same family, doing the diagnosis and revealing the differences or similarities between these varieties will be beneficial with respect to enhancing plant development both in natural and in agricultural ecosystems [29,30].

References

1. Azcón-Aguilar C, Barea JM, Gianinazzi S, Gianinazzi-Pearson (eds) .Mycorrhizas- functional processes and ecological impact. Springer, Berlin ISBN 978-3-540-87978-7; 2009.
2. Gao LL, Delp C, Smith SE. Colonization patterns in a mycorrhiza-defective mutant tomato vary with different arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi. New Pyhtologist. 2001;151:477-491.
3. Ortas I. The influence of use of different rates of mycorrhizal inoculum on root infection, plant growth, and phosphorus uptake. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal. 1996;27:2935-2946.
4. Clark RB, Zeto SK. ArbuscularMycorrhiza: Mineral Nutrietn and Water Acquisition, p 159-188. In Sharma AK, Johri BN(eds). ArbuscularMycorrhiza, Interactions in Plants, Rhizosphere and Soils. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, 2002.
5. Johansson JF, Paul LR, Finlay RD. Microbial interactions in the mycorrhizosphere and their significance for sustainable agriculture. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2004;48:1-13.
6. Bouwman LA, Arts WBM. Effects of soil compaction on the relationships between nematodes, grass production and soil physical properties. Applied Soil Ecol. 2000;14:213-222.
7. Whipps JM. Prospects and limitations for mycorrhizas in biocontrol of root pathogens. Can J Bot. 2004;82:1198–1227.
8. Pozo MJ, Azcón-Aguilar C. Unraveling mycorrhiza-induced resistance. CurrOpin Plant Biol. 2007;10:393–398.
9. Larsen J, Cornejo P, Bares JM. Interactions between the arbuscularmycorrhizal fungus Glomusintradices and the plant growth promoting rhizobacteriaPaenibacilluspolymyxa and P. macerans in the mycorrhizosphere of Cucumissativus. Soil BiolBiochem. 2009;41:286-292.
10. Gianinazzi S, Gollotte A, Binet MN, van Tuinen D, Redecker D, Wipf D. Agroecology: The key role of arbuscularmycorrhizas in ecosystem services. Mycorrhiza. 2010;20:519–530.
11. Jeffries P, Barea JM. Arbuscularmycorrhiza—a key component of sustainable plant-soil eco systems, p 51-75. In: Hock B (ed), The Mycota, VolIX.Fungal Associations. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, ISBN: 978-3-642-30825-3; 2012.
12. Jung SC, Martinez-Medina A, Lopez-Raez JA, Pozo MJ. Mycorrhiza-induced resistance and priming of plant defenses. J Chem Ecol. 2012;38:651-664.
13. Pardo A, Amoto M, Chiaranda FQ. Relationship between soil structure, root distribution and water uptake of chickpea (Cicerarietinum L.) Plant growth and water distribution. European J Agron. 200013:39-45.
14. Rilling MC, Mummey DL. Mycorrhizas and soil structure. New Pyhtolog. 2006;171:41-53.
15. Li H, Smith FA, Dickson S. Holloway RE, Smith SE. Plant growth depression in arbscularmycorrhizal symbioses: not just caused by carbon drain?. New Phytolog. 2008;178:852-862.
16. Jansa J, Smith FA, Smith SE. Are there benefits of simultaneous root colonization by different arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi?, New Phytolog. 2008;177:779-789.
17. Smith SE, Read DJ. Mycorrhizal symbiosis. Academic, New York, NY; 2008.
18. Karagiannidis N, Bletsos F, Stavropoulos N. Effect of Verticillium wilt (VerticilliumdahliaeKleb.) and mycorrhiza (Glomusmosseae) on root colonization, growth and nutrient uptake in tomato and egg plant seedlings. ScientiaHorticulturae. 2002;94(1-2):145-156.
19. Karagiannidis N, Hadjisavva ZS. The mycorrhizal fungus Glomusmosseae enhances growth, yield, and chemical composition of a durum wheat variety in 10 different soils. NutrCyclAgroecosystems. 1998;52: 1-7; 1998.
20. Harrier L.A, Watson C.A. The role of arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi in sustainable cropping systems. AdvAgron. 2003;79:185–225.
21. Suri V.K, Choudhary AK. Effects of vesicular arbuscularmycorrhizae and applied phosphorus through targeted yield precision model on root morphology, productivity, and nutrient dynamics in soybean in an acid alfisol. Comm Soil Sci Plant Anal. 2013;44(17):2587-2604.
22. Qiao, G, Wen XP, Yu LF, Ji XB. The enhancement of drought tolerance for pige on peainoculated by arbuscularmycorrhizae fungi. Plant Soil Environ. 2011;57(12): 541-546.
23. Al-Karaki G.N. The effect of arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi on the establishment of sour orange (citrusaurantium) under different levels of phosphorus. VII. International symposium on mineral nutrition of fruit crops book series: ActaHorticulturae. 2013;984:103-108.
24. Dutt S, Sharma SD, Kumar P. Arbuscularmycorrhizas and Zn fertilization modify growth and physiological behavior of apricot (Prunusarmeniaca L.). ScientiaHorticulturae. 2013;155:97.
25. Singh, R, Behl RK, Singh KP, Jain P, Narula N. Performance and gene effects for wheat yield under inoculation of arbuscularmycorrhiza fungi and Azotobacterchroococcum. Plant Soil Environ. 2004; 50(9):409-415.
26. UyanozRefik, Cetin U, Gultepe N. Akbulut M. Effects of microbial inoculation, organic and chemical fertilizer on yield and physicochemical and cookability properties of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds, Philippine Agric Scientist. 2007;90(2):168-172.
27. Kjǿller R, Rosendahl S. Detection of arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi (Glomales) in roots by nested PCR and SSCP (Single Stranded Conformation Polymorphism). Plant and Soil. 2000;226:189-196.
28. Duhoux E, Rinaudo G, Diem HH, Auguy F, Fernandez D, Bogusz D. Angiosperm Gymnostoma trees produce root nodules colonized by arbuscularmycorrhizalfungirelated to Glomus. New Phytolog. 2001;49:115-125.
29. Clapp J.P, Young J.P.W, Merryweather J.W, Fitter A.H. Diversity of fungal symbiontsinarbuscularmycorrhizas from a natural community. New Phytolog. 1995;130(2): 259- 265.
30. GollotteA,VanTuinen D, Atkinson D. Diversity of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi colonizing roots of the grass species. Agrostiscapillaris and Loliumprenne in a field experiment. Mycorrhiza. 2003;25:20-31.