Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) Fields of the East of Algeria

Abstract

In Algeria, in the semi-arid and arid areas cereal production is limited because of many constraints like lack of mineral elements (phosphorus and nitrogen), low organic matter and an insufficient water reserve due to the low rainfall. Most researches on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) are undertaken to increase its productivity. In recent years several methods have been used including using microorganisms. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) appear to have important roles in plants in various soil conditions. In Algeria and particularly in the eastern regions, the diversity of AMF spores in the soil is so far little studied. In this context this study focuses on the study of the diversity and the abundance of AMF spores in Triticum durum Desf. fields in arid, semi-arid and coastal regions. Soil samples were collected and characterized and the spores isolated by the wet sieving methods were observed, counted and identified. The results of the physic-chemical characterization of all soil samples reveal a clay loam, loam clay and loam sandy soils with an alkaline pH (7.54-8.27), a total nitrogen content from 0.023 to 0.082% and phosphorus content ranging from 1.63% to 7.74%. We noted the presence of several morphotypes that were classified as follow: Glomeraceae, Acaulosporaceae and Scutellosporaceae with a predominance of Glomeraceae in different sites depending on climate and soil type. The presence of these families demonstrates a biodiversity of the eastern wheat fields of Algeria.

Phosphorus Acquisition Efficiency Related to Root Traits: Is Mycorrhizal Symbiosis a Key Factor to Wheat and Barley Cropping?

“…In another study under similar conditions in acidic soils, Castillo et al ( 2016b ) described 26 fungal species with a prevalence of Acaulospora and Claroideoglomus . This dominance of Acaulospora spores in soils cropped with wheat was also observed by Hu et al ( 2015 ) in North China and by Nadji et al ( 2017 ) in Algeria, however in the last study Glomeraceae species was also detected as highly abundant.…”

Effect of Tillage Practices and Cultivation Year on Natural Mycorrhization and Mineral Uptake of Durum Wheat during Tillering Stage under Rainfed Conditions

“…There are various evidences in relation to the fact that tillage disturbs soils and decelerates their biological processes such as the decrease of mycorrhization rates under CT compared to NT [5]. Moreover, MR variability among cultivation year could be explained by climate effect on the establishment of this symbiosis [30].…”

The Influence of No-till Farming on Durum Wheat Mycorrhization in a Semi-Arid Region: A Long-Term Field Experiment

“…Van Groenigen et al (2010) have shown, using both ergosterol and PLFA analyses, that while reduced tillage increased biomass of saprotrophic fungi in the 0-5 cm soil layer, it increased AMF biomass across the whole plough layer. The aridity of the study area (a rainfall close to 400 mm) may explain the dominance of the AMF biomass (Rodriguez et al, 2004;Duponnois et al, 2012;Nadji et al, 2017). Similarly, some characteristics of the study area soil such as the low total phosphorus level (Nadji et al, 2017) and the alkaline soil pH in relation with limestone mother rock (Djebaili et al, 1984;Halitim et al, 1988) also contributes to the AMF installation.…”

“…The aridity of the study area (a rainfall close to 400 mm) may explain the dominance of the AMF biomass (Rodriguez et al, 2004;Duponnois et al, 2012;Nadji et al, 2017). Similarly, some characteristics of the study area soil such as the low total phosphorus level (Nadji et al, 2017) and the alkaline soil pH in relation with limestone mother rock (Djebaili et al, 1984;Halitim et al, 1988) also contributes to the AMF installation. Coutinho et al (2015) reported that low levels of phosphorus allow production by AMF of a large number of propagules in an environment with few nutrients.…”

“…The twenty-one species belonging to the seven families of Glomales recorded in the soil of the experimental plot reflect a high AMF diversity. Nadji et al (2017) reported the importance of diversity and abundance of mycorrhizal propagules in the eastern wheat fields of Algeria. However, a specific richness is observed in the no-tillering treatment soil, linked mainly to the presence of five species of Acaulosporaceae (Acaulospora scrobiculata; Acaulospora koskei; Acaulospora thomii; Acaulospora capsicula; Acaulospora denticulata) and two species of Gigasporaceae (Gigaspora albida and Gigaspora margarita) which completely disappeared in conventional seedling.…”