Projects / Programmes
Biotehnološka uporaba arbuskularne mikorize (Slovene)
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.03.04 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biology |
Plant physiology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B004 |
Biomedical sciences |
Botany |
| T490 |
Technological sciences |
Biotechnology |
arbuscular mycorrhizae, biotechnology, substrate, plant physiology, fungi
Researchers (8)
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is an endothropic type of mycorrhizal symbiosis found also in agronomically important plants. It improves mineral nutrition, water availability, plant growth and yield of host plant. Due to intensive use of agricultural soils, fertilisation and the use of chemicals this fungal-plant symbiosis is disturbed in many cases. The aim of this project is to develop a method for production of environmental friendly growth substrate with AM fungi. The substrate could be very useful in the limited production of vegetables in terms of sustainable agriculture. In the first part of the project AM fungi will be isolated from the different natural soils - from disturbed and undisturbed sites. Different abundance and different biodiversity of AM fungi are expected. Spores of AM fungal species will be separated by sieving. Fungi will be cultured in pot cultures of their host plants (Zea mays), since they can not be propagated axenically. The substrate from the pot cultures will be tested on the presence of AM fungal spores, selected and used as an inoculum in the second part of the project. Different host plant species (Allium sp., Zea mays, ...) will be inoculated. The potential of different fungal inoculum will be tested by screening their effects on growth promotion. Various physiological parameters, photosynthetic activity, mineral and pigment content, proteins, for example, will be monitored in order to evaluate the fitness of inoculated plants. The infectivity of different strains will be estimated microscopically after staining the roots with Trypan blue. The growth conditions for the inoculum production will be optimised. In the last part of the project substrate efficiency in different soils will be tested in the field conditions.
