International Symposium Root Research and Applications RootRAP, 24 September 2009, Boku Vienna, Austria

Root area index of Lucerne affected by Rhizobia and Mycorrhiza under dry organic farming conditions
M. R. Ardakani 1, J. K. Friedel 2, G. Pietsch2, P. Schweiger2, A. Moghaddam2 and A. Raza2
1

Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, IRAN 2University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, AUSTRIA

Corresponding author: mohammadreza.ardakani@kiau.ac.ir

ABSTRACT
This experiment has been done to investigate effect of dual inoculation of rhizoba and mycorrhiza on Root Area Index (RAI) changes in lucerne under water deficit condition. Three factors included Rhizobium inoculation; Mycorrhiza inoculation and Irrigation, each one at two levels (with and without application) have been studied in a factorial experiment in the form of complete randomized block design. The trial was located on the organically managed fields of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna ( Rassdorf) in April 2007. This index is defined as a new index in root studies for crops. RAI is calculated with the following formula: RAI= Root Surface Area / Soil Surface Area. First, root surface is measured by WinRHIZO instrument. Results of mean comparisons by Duncans multiple range test showed that root area index was higher when rhizobia and mycorrhiza used individually in compare without their application. Effect of double interaction of Rhizobium x Mycorrhiza on root area index ranged from 13.147(R0M0) to 14.697 (R1M1).Effect of double interaction of Rhizobium x Irrigation on this parameter varied from 11.040 to 14.509 and R0I0 was at the lowest group. In double interaction of Mycorrhiza x Irrigation all of treatments were at the same group. Effect of using irrigation was higher than the effect of using mycorrhiza. In triple interaction of Rhizobium x Mycorrhiza x Irrigation , root area index was higher than other treatments .Root area index had a positive and significant correlation with mycorrizal colonization (MC), water use efficiency (WUE), root dry weight (RDW) and shoot dry weight (SDW).

Key Words: root area index, mycorrhiza, rhizobia, lucerne. Introduction:

Root system is now considered as a key issue for a successful exploitation of soil resources. It is hence of great interest to develop accurate indices to explore the best rooting configuration to optimize the competition for water and nutrients. Rhizosphere / mycorhizosphere system can therefore be tailored to help plants to survive in nutrient deficient, degraded habitats (Barea et al., 1987; Sanchez-Diaz et al., 1990) or during stress periods (Graham, 1992). Root area index could be a suitable parameter for root studies that has powerful correlation with most of plants growth parameters.

Materials and Methods:

The trial was located on the organically managed fields of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna ( Rassdorf) in April 2007. The factors were Rhizobium inoculation, Mycorrhiza inoculation and Irrigation, each one at two levels (with and without application). Root Area Index (RAI) is defined as a new index in root studies for crops calculates with the following formula: RAI= Root Surface Area / Soil Surface Area Soil samples to investigate RAI were taken by using a root auger (10 cm diameter, 30 cm deep with 2 replicates per plot (one in row and one between rows).The roots subsequently separated from soil by a hydro pneumatic elutriation system (Gillisons Variety Fabrication Inc., USA) through a sieve with a mesh of 760 m. For evaluation Root Surface Area, we have used 1

International Symposium Root Research and Applications RootRAP, 24 September 2009, Boku Vienna, Austria

WinRHIZO instrument.This method first presented at the American Society of Horticultural Science meeting held in Montreal (Qc.Canada) in 1995 (Arsenault et. al., 1995).

Results:
Results showed that main effect of irrigation, double interaction of Rhizobim x Irrigation and triple interaction of Rhizobium x Mycorrhiza x Irrigation had significant differences on this parameter at 5% probability level. Also, root area index had a positive and significant correlation with mycorrizal colonization (MC), water use efficiency (WUE), root dry weight (RDW) and shoot dry weight (SDW) (Fig 1- 4 ).
Shoot Dry Weight 2 = 2113.6463+98.7314*x 5000 4800 4600 4400 4200 4000 3800 3600 3400 3200 3000 2800 2600 2400 2200 2000 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 14 13 12 11 WUE 2 10 9 8 7 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Root Area Index 2 Root Area Index 2:WUE 2: r2 = 0.2014; r = 0.4488, p = 0.0100; y = 6.8344 + 0.2264*x WUE 2 = 6.8344+0.2264*x

Root Area Index 2 Root Area Index 2: Shoot Dry Weight 2: r2 = 0.2370; r = 0.4868, p = 0.0047; y = 2113.6463 + 98.7314*x

Shoot Dry Weight 2

Fig 1: Correlation between SDW and RAI.

Fig 2: Correlation between WUE and RAI.

Root Area Index 2 = 3.701+0.0212*x 20

Root Area Index 2 = 3.6172+0.1696*x 20

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Root Dry Weight 2:Root Area Index 2: r2 = 0.1277;Root Dry Weight 2 r = 0.3573, p = 0.0447; y = 3.701 + 0.0212*x

Mycorrhizal 0.3485; r = 2 Mycorrhizal Colonization 2:Root Area Index 2: r2 = Colonization0.5904, p = 0.0004; y = 3.6172 + 0.169

Fig 3: Correlation between RDW and RAI.

Fig 4: Correlation between MC and RAI.

References:
-Arsenault,J., Pouleur,S., Messier,C. and Guay,R.1995.WinRHIZO,a root measuring system with a unique overlap correction method.HortScience.30:906(Abstract). -Barea ,J.M., Azcon-Aguilar,C. and Azcon,R.1987.Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza improve both symbiotic N2- fixation and N-uptake from soil as assessed with a N technique under field conditions. New Phytol.106:717-725. -Graham, P.H.1992.Stress tolerance in Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium and nodulation under adverse soil conditions. Can. J .Microbiol.38:475-484. -Sanchez Diaz,M.,Pardo,M.,Antolin,M.,Pena,J. and Aguirreola,J.1990.Effect of water stress on photosynthetic activity in the Medicago- Rhizobium- Glomus symbiosis.Plant Sci.71,215-221. 2