terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Challenges for the Implementation of commercial inoculum of arbuscular fungi in a commercial Callet vineyard (Vitis vinifera L.)

Challenges for the Implementation of commercial inoculum of arbuscular fungi in a commercial Callet vineyard (Vitis vinifera L.)

Abstract

Over the past 70 years, scientific literature has consistently illustrated the advantageous effects of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) on plant growth and stress tolerance. Recent reviews not only reaffirm these findings but also underscore the pivotal role of AMF in ensuring the sustainability of viticulture. In fact, various companies actively promote commercial inoculants based on AMF as biofertilizers or biostimulants for sustainable viticulture. However, despite the touted benefits of these products, the consistent effectiveness of AMF inoculants in real-world field conditions remains uncertain. Our study investigates the influence of a commercial AMF inoculant containing a mycorrhizal complex of Rhizophagus irregularis and Funneliformis mosseae on a five-year-old vineyard featuring a local grape cultivar (Callet) grafted onto a common rootstock (R110). We monitored the physiological well-being and productivity of inoculated vines compared to control counterparts. Additionally, we assessed the impact of inoculation on the root fungal community determined by NGS of roots DNA from ITS (fungi) regions using Illumina technology. We did not find a statistically significant increase in the photosynthetic rate of inoculated plants, although it did present significantly greater stomatal conductance. Moreover, there were not statistical differences on productivity or grape quality. There was a slight increase in root fungal Shannon diversity in the inoculated plants at beginning of summer but without generating statistically significant differences.  Furthermore, the analysis of the fungal community of the roots, conducted through NMDS with the Bray-Curtis distance, showed no detectable changes in the fungal community after inoculation.

Numerous studies highlight the context-dependent nature of AMF inoculation’s effects, making it challenging to predict outcomes in field conditions. Failures encountered in trials like ours contribute valuable information to the scientific literature, aiding in the determination of prerequisites for effective biofertilizer use in commercial agriculture. Ultimately, the effectiveness of AMF-based biofertilizers remains contingent on specific conditions, highlighting the need for additional research to ensure their consistent and reliable application.

Funding: PID2021-125575OR-C22 project funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa

DOI:

Publication date: June 13, 2024

Issue: Open GPB 2024

Type: Poster

Authors

Elena Baraza 1,2, Joshua Borras 1, Arantzazu Molins 1.2, and Josefina Bota* 1,2  

1 Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB)
2 Agro-Environmental and Water Economics Institute (INAGEA). Carretera de Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

Contact the author*

Keywords

Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF), Biofertilizer, Effectiveness, NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing), Root fungal community, Sustainability

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Open GPB | Open GPB 2024

Citation

Related articles…

Study to optimize the effectiveness of copper treatments for low impact viticulture

Among all pathologies that afflict grapevine, Downy Mildew (DM) is the most important. Generally controlled using Copper (Cu), recently European Commission confirmed its usage but limiting the maximum amount to 28 Kg per hectare in 7 years (Reg. EU 2018/1981).

Study of the colour and phenolic evolution of three different tannin/anthocyanin ratios over time in a model wine

Phenolic compounds are important quality indicators in red wine. A large number of polyphenols play an important role in wine development, contributing to the colour and the sensory perception of the wines. Anthocyanins are the pigments responsible for the colour in young red wines while tannins are the principal contributors to the bitterness and the astringency of the wines. Wine polyphenols are considered more complex molecules than grape phenolics, due to the enormous number of chemical reactions which take place during the entire winemaking process and storage, forming more stable compounds.

Effect of the commercial inoculum of arbuscular mycorrhiza in the establishment of a commercial vineyard of the cultivar “Manto negro

The favorable effect of symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has been known and studied since the 60s. Nowadays, many companies took the chance to start promoting and selling commercial inoculants of AMF, in order to be used as biofertilizers and encourage sustainable biological agriculture. However, the positive effect of these commercial biofertilizers on plant growth is not always demonstrated, especially under field conditions. In this study, we used a commercial inoculum on newly planted grapevines of a local cultivar grafted on a common rootstock R110. We followed the physiological status of vines, growth and productivity and functional biodiversity of soil bacteria during the first and second years of 20 inoculated with commercial inoculum bases on Rhizophagus irregularis and Funeliformis mosseaeAMF at field planting time and 20 non-inoculated control plants. All the parameters measured showed a neutral to negative effect on plant growth and production. The inoculated plants always presented lower values of photosynthesis, growth and grape production, although in some cases the differences did not reach statistical significance. On the contrary, the inoculation supposed an increase of the bacterial functional diversity, although the differences were not statistically significant either. Several studies show that the effect of inoculation with AMF is context-dependent. The non-favorable effects are probably due to inoculation ineffectiveness under complex field conditions and/or that, under certain conditions, AMF presence may be a parasitic association. This puts into question the effectiveness of its application in the field. Therefore, it is recommended to only resort to this type of biofertilizer when the cultivation conditions require it (e.g., very low previous microbial diversity, foreseeable stress due to drought, salinity, or lack of nutrients) and not as a general fertilization practice.

PHENOLICS DYNAMICS OF BERRIES FROM VITIS VINIFERA CV SYRAH GRAFTED ON TWO CONTRASTING ROOTSTOCKS UNDER COMBINED SALINITY AND WATER STRESSORS AND ITS EFFECT ON WINE QUALITY

Wine regions are getting warmer as average temperatures continue raising affecting grape growth, berry composition and wine production. Berry quality was evaluated in plants of Vitis vinifera cv Syrah grafted on two rootstocks, Paulsen (PL1103) and SO4, and grown under two salinity concentrations (LS:0.7dS/m and HS:2.5dSm-1) in combination with two irrigation regimes (HW:133% and CW:100%), being the seasonal water application 483mm (control, 100%). Spectrophotometer measurements from berry skin during veraison and harvest stages and from “young” wine samples, were indicative of the stressors effect and the mediation of the rootstocks. At veraison (i) total phenolics content were high under LSHW (0.7dSm-1 and high water conditions) for SO4 and PL1103.

Natural glycolipids for the control of spoilage organisms in red wine

A natural glycolipid mixture obtained from the edible mushroom dacryopinax spathularia (“glycolipids”) is known to be an effective and approved antimicrobial treatment in non-alcoholic beverages at concentrations ranging from 5 – 100 mg/l. It has found a place alongside DMDC for the provision of microbial stability in soft drinks. These properties make the natural and sustainably produced glycolipids a promising candidate for the supplementation or replacement of SO2 in different winemaking processes.