Drought stress has become a limiting factor for viticulture with climate change. The influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on grapevine Vitis vinifera L. cv. Ecolly’s leaf water content, chlorophyll concentration, photosynthesis activity, and chlorophyll fluorescence under drought stress was studied in the greenhouse. The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block with four treatments: AMF colonization, well-watered; non-AMF colonization, well-watered; AMF colonization with drought stress; and non-AMF colonization with drought stress. The grapevines inoculated with mycorrhiza had a higher water content in the leaves and higher chlorophyll concentration under drought stress than those without mycorrhiza inoculation. AMF colonization increased the dry biomass of shoots and roots, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate and decreased intercellular CO2 concentration. Mycorrhizal grapevines had higher non-photochemistry efficiency, higher photochemistry efficiency, and higher actual quantum yield than non-mycorrhizal grapevines. The results show that AMF alleviated the negative effects of drought stress on grapevines. The alleviation improved leaf water status, chlorophyll concentration, and photosynthetic capacity. Altogether, the results of our study indicate that AMF inoculation has the potential to protect grapevines under drought stress.
Downy mildew is a major threat to viticulture, leading to severe yield loss. The use of traditional copper-based fungicides is effective, but has adverse effects on the environment and human health, making it urgent to develop an environmentally friendly disease management program. Multi-functional kaolin particle film (KPF) is promising as an effective and safer treatment strategy, since this material lacks chemically active ingredients. In this study, ability of Kaolin particle film (KPF) pretreatment to protect grapevine leaves from Plasmopara viticola was tested and the mode of action of KPF was analyzed. KPF application reduced the disease severity and the development of intercellular hyphae. Additionally, there was reduced accumulation of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) with pretreatment. The observation of ultrastructure on the leaf surface showed KPF deposition and stomatal obstruction, indicating that KPF protected plants against disease by preventing the adhesion of pathogens to the leaf surface and blocking invasion through the stomata. KPF pretreatment also activated host defense responses, as evidenced by increased activities of anti-oxidative enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)] and defense-related enzymes [phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chitinases, and β-1,3-glucanases], increased phytohormone signals [abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA)] and the up-regulation of defense genes related to plant defense. Overall, these results demonstrate that KPF treatment counters grapevine downy mildew by protecting leaves and enhancing plant defense responses.
Agricultural bioinoculants containing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi represent a potential opportunity to reduce the dependence of grapevines (Vitis) on agrochemicals. This field study assessed the ability of four commercial bioinoculants to colonize grapevine roots and their effects on petiole nutrient concentration, berry composition, and root morphology of ‘Pinot noir’ (Vitis vinifera) grafted onto rootstock ‘Couderc 3309’ (Vitis riparia × Vitis rupestris) and ‘Riesling’ (V. vinifera) grafted onto ‘Couderc 3309’ and Selection Oppenheim four (Vitis berlandieri × V. riparia). Three bioinoculants increased root mycorrhizal colonization; however, regardless of the treatment, mycorrhizal fungal structures were enhanced. Grapevine petiole nutrient concentration was improved by bioinoculants. Root diameter, root length density, and specific root length increased with greater mycorrhizal root colonization. Using bioinoculants to reduce chemical fertilizers may be a good strategy to improve grapevine productivity and health in cool climates; however, the impact of mycorrhizal bioinoculants in the vineyard may differ among scion–rootstocks, edaphoclimatic conditions, and vineyard soil microbiomes.
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