Effect of Symbiosis of Arbuscular Mycorhiza and Like-endo Mycorhiza on Yield and Uptake of MacroandMicro Elements in Chickpea Genotypes (Cicer arietinum L.)

IntroductionImproving of nutrients absorption by biological approaches, in addition to emphasis on sustainable agriculture, will increase or stabilize crop yield. It seems that microorganisms such as mycorrhiza and rhizobium can improve the nutrients absorption in crops such as chickpea. Rhizobiums are effective to provide biological nitrogen for crops and mycorrhizal fungi are involved to supply biological phosphorus to the plants. Among them, the endo myccorihza (or Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza) that is abbreviated VAM, in creation of symbiosis with the roots of crops such as legumes have been more successful. Of course, the mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobium bacteria before creating symbiosis with host plant, directly affect in the overlay in rhizosphere environment of host plant. Creating colonies in the roots by mycorrhizal fungi leads to conducive for forming nodulation of rhizobium. In other words, mycorrhiza fungi creats favorable conditions for the production of rhizobium nodules on the roots and also they affect on greater availability of phosphorus for nitrogenase enzymes involved in rhizobium bacteria. In contrast, rhizobiums affect in better absorption of nitrogen and followed by the synthesis of amino acids and amino acid availability for required mycorrhiza. It seems that this symbiotic relationship between plants, mycorrhizal and rhizobium can be either normal or adverse environmental conditions, which is effective in promoting the product of crop. However, the Triplet symbiosis of chickpea, mycorrhiza and rhizobium and also chickpea genotypes response to this symbiosis should be examined.
Materials and MethodsThis study was conducted to investigate the inoculation of kabuli seeds of chickpea genotypes with arbuscular mycorrhiza and like - endomycorhiza, in 2014, in split plot by arrangement of two factors with a randomized complete block design and three replications in Research Field, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Main plots were consisted of three levels of mycorhiza (arbuscular mycorhiza of Glomus mosseae, like - endo mycorhiza of Piriformospora indica and non - used mycorhiza) and sub plots were consisted of nine genotypes of chickpea: MCC 80, MCC 358, MCC 361, MCC 392, MCC 427, MCC 537, MCC 693, MCC 696 and MCC 950. (These genotypes had good yield potentials and selection and presented in the studies on germplasm from the Institute of Plant Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad seed bank). All seeds of genotypes were infected to the symbiotic rhizobium bacteria of chickpea. In the mid - flowering the content elements of nitrogen, phosphor, potassium and micro elements of iron, zinc, copper and manganese were determined by kjeldahl, spectrophotometer, flame photometer and the atomic absorption, respectively.
Results and DiscussionThe results indicated that mycorrhiza significantly increased seed yield. But using of like - endomycorhiza was not effective to increase seed yield. In other words, superiority of like - endomycorhiza was not significant. Among the genotypes in this study, the highest seed yield was dedicated to genotype of MCC 537. Arbuscular mycorhiza significantly improved the uptake of N, P, K, Fe and Mn, but it did not imposed any significant effect on uptake of Cu and Zn. Genotypes of MCC 537, MCC 427, MCC 80 and MCC 392 significantly were excelled in uptake of macro elements, but there is not significant difference to uptake of micro elements. In the study was observed the interactions effects between mycorrhizal and chickpea genotypes that the highest seed yield belonged to the factor of arbuscular mycorrhiza – MCC 537 genotype. Also the most uptaked nitrogen and protein of plant tissues belonged to the factor of arbuscular mycorrhiza – MCC 537 genotype. But other interactions effects were not significant. In addition, in traits of uptaked nitrogen and protein of plant tissues in factor of arbuscular mycorrhiza – MCC 427 genotype was in a same statistical class with factor of arbuscular mycorrhiza – MCC 537 genotype.
ConclusionsApplication of mycorrhiza along with rhizobium could improve the uptake of macro and micro elements in chickpea genotypes. But, application of like - endomycorrhiza had not significant effect on the absorption of nutrients in chickpea. In a general conclusion, among the studied genotypes, MCC 537 and MCC 427 were better than the others.