Author
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Douds, David |
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WERTHEIM, FRANK - University Of Maine Cooperative Extension |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2015 Publication Date: 7/12/2015 Citation: Douds, D.D., Wertheim, F.S. 2015. On-farm production and utilization of mycorrhizal fungus inoculum. Meeting Abstract. p. 1-2. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are naturally occurring soil fungi that form a symbiosis with the roots of most crop plants. Among the benefits plants receive from the symbiosis are enhanced nutrient uptake, water relations, and disease resistance. Farmers can better take advantage of the symbiosis either by adopting management practices that enhance the native population of AM fungi in their soils or by inoculating with AM fungi. The latter option is available to vegetable growers who grow their own seedlings for outplanting to the field. Though inocula are available commercially, inoculum of introduced or indigenous AM fungi also can be produced on-farm using compost and vermiculite as growth media and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) as the plant host. Inocula are produced during one growing season and overwinter outdoors. The compost and vermiculite mixture is recovered the subsequent spring and mixed into horticultural potting media for the production of plants colonized by AM fungi. Ensuring colonization requires reduction in P availability in fertility regimes. Outplanted seedlings have the advantage of a pre-established symbiosis over uncolonized seedlings which must await colonization by the indigenous field population of AM fungi. This procedure has been shown to increase the yield of bell pepper, leek, potato, sweet potato, and strawberry. |
