Effects of different N fertilizers on the activity of Glomus mosseae and on grapevine nutrition and berry composition

Abstract

Grapevine N fertilization may affect and be affected by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization and change berry composition. We studied the effects of different N fertilizers on AM fungal grapevine root colonization and sporulation, and on grapevine growth, nutrition, and berry composition, by conducting a 3.5-year pot study supplying grapevine plants with either urea, calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, or ammonium nitrate. We measured the percentage of AM fungal root colonization, AM fungal sporulation, grapevine shoot dry weight and number of leaves, nutrient composition (macro- and micronutrients), and grapevine berry soluble solids (total sugars or degrees Brix) and total acidity. Urea suppressed AM fungal root colonization and sporulation. Mycorrhizal grapevine plants had higher shoot dry weight and number of leaves than non-mycorrhizal and with a higher growth response with calcium nitrate as the N source. For the macronutrients P and K, and for the micronutrient B, leaf concentration was higher in mycorrhizal plants. Non-mycorrhizal plants had higher concentration of microelements Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cu than mycorrhizal. There were no differences in soluble solids ( degrees Brix) in grapevine berries among mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. However, non-mycorrhizal grapevine berries had higher acid content with ammonium nitrate, although they did not have better N nutrition and vegetative growth.

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the content of macro and micro elements in grapevine (Vitis vinifera, L.) leaves

“…I and II). According to Karagiannidis et al (2007) in experiments where nitrogen fertilisers were applied leaf analysis showed that control plants took up less of the micro elements Zn, Mn and Fe than the mycorrhizal-treated plants; this fi nding is in accordance with our results.…”

Arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis in viticulture: a review

“…Interestingly, grapevine mycorrhizal dependency was the same whatever the N source (Karagiannidis et al 2007). Besides inorganic N uptake, it is well established that AMF can draw substantial amounts of N from decomposing organic materials (Hodge and Fitter 2010).…”

“…Studies on the physiological effects of inoculation of grapevines with AMF reveal that symbiosis enhances plant growth in almost all cases (Motosugi et al 2002;Schreiner 2005b;Ridgway et al 2006;Karagiannidis et al 2007;CangahualaInocente et al 2011). Nevertheless, the arbuscular mycorrhiza-dependent enhancement of grapevine growth as a whole, or of grapevine roots only, varies with rootstock and fungus (Lindermann and Davis 2001;Smith and Read 2008;Nogales et al 2009;Cangahuala-Inocente et al 2011).…”

“…Furthermore, grapevine N fertilization affected AMF colonization and, in turn, affected berry composition. Karagiannidis et al (2007) indeed compared the impact of different nitrogen fertilizers (CO(NH 2 ) 2 , (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , Ca(NO 3 ) 2 , and NH 4 NO 3 ). Although the nitrogen form had no effect on non-inoculated plants mycorrhizal grapevine plants had a higher growth response with calcium nitrate as the N source (see Section 3.3).…”

“…Indeed, mycorrhizal plants may display better growth with N supplied as NO 3 − . In grapevine, mycorrhizal N uptake from the soil can also enhance plant biomass (Karagiannidis et al 2007). The form of N fertilization can influence the dry weight of mycorrhized vines.…”