Repositorio
Institucional

Chavez, Daniel

Rivas, Gustavo

Machuca, Angela

Santos, Cledir

Deramond, Christian

Aroca, Ricardo

Cornejo, Pablo

Contribution of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi to Drought Tolerance in Araucaria araucana Seedlings

MDPI

PLANTS-BASEL

en

In its natural distribution, Araucaria araucana is a plant species usually exposed to extreme environmental constraints such as wind, volcanism, fires, and low rainfall. This plant is subjected to long periods of drought, accentuated by the current climate emergency, causing plant death, especially in its early growth stages. Understanding the benefits that both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and endophytic fungi (EF) could provide plants under different water regimes would generate inputs to address the above-mentioned issues. Here, the effect of AMF and EF inoculation (individually and combined) on the morphophysiological variables of A. araucana seedlings subjected to different water regimes was evaluated. Both the AMF and EF inocula were obtained from A. araucana roots growing in natural conditions. The inoculated seedlings were kept for 5 months under standard greenhouse conditions and subsequently subjected to three different irrigation levels for 2 months: 100, 75, and 25% of field capacity (FC). Morphophysiological variables were evaluated over time. Applying AMF and EF + AMF yielded a noticeable survival rate in the most extreme drought conditions (25% FC). Moreover, both the AMF and the EF + AMF treatments promoted an increase in height growth between 6.1 and 16.1%, in the production of aerial biomass between 54.3 and 62.6%, and in root biomass between 42.5 and 65.4%. These treatments also kept the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm 0.71 for AMF and 0.64 for EF + AMF) stable, as well as high foliar water content (>60%) and stable CO2 assimilation under drought stress. In addition, the EF + AMF treatment at 25% FC increased the total chlorophyll content. In conclusion, using indigenous strains of AMF, alone or in combination with EF, is a beneficial strategy to produce A. araucana seedlings with an enhanced ability to tolerate prolonged drought periods, which could be of great relevance for the survival of these native species under the current climate change.

2023

artículo original

10.3390/plants12112116

PDF

monkey puzzle tree

arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

endophytic fungi

water stress

plant physiology

bioinoculants

Ciencias de las plantas

araucaria

hongos micorrízicos arbusculares

hongos endofíticos

estrés hídrico

Fisiología de las plantas

bioinoculantes

artículo original

versión publicada

CC BY 4.0

CC BY 4.0

acceso abierto

acceso abierto

WOS:001005039900001

verde# dorado

Ciencias de las plantas

ANID-FONDECYT 3170089

ANID-FONDECYT 11220305

ANID-FONDECYT 1210964

ANID-FONDECYT 1221024

ANID-FONDAP 15130015

MINEDUC InES19 FRO19101

VRID 2021000363MUL

UdeC VRID 2021000363MUL

ANID FONDECYT 3170089

ANID FONDECYT 11220305

ANID FONDECYT 1210964

ANID FONDECYT 1221024

ANID FONDAP 15130015