- Title
- Ericoid fungal inoculation of blueberry under commercial production in South Africa
- Creator
- Bizabani, Christine, Fontenla, Sonia, Dames, Joanna F
- Subject
- To be catalogued
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/448610
- Identifier
- vital:74746
- Identifier
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.06.029
- Description
- Ericoid mycorrhizal (ERM) fungi are known to enhance growth of plants belonging to the Ericaceae family. However, the outcomes of root-fungal associations in this family are influenced by several factors such as soil nutrient status, climatic conditions, host variety and fungal partner. The aim of this study was (i) to determine whether symbiotic fungal structures form in roots of Misty (Vaccinium corymbosum) and Brightwell (V. ashei) blueberry varieties, following inoculation with Leohumicola, Oidiodendron maius and Meliniomyces fungal species, and (ii) evaluate inoculation effects on the growth of blueberry varieties. The study was conducted for 60 weeks under commercial production conditions at Amathole Berries, Sutterheim, South Africa. All three fungi were isolated from Erica plants growing naturally in Albany Centre of Endemism of South Africa. All ERM formed mycorrhizal structures characteristic of typical ericoid colonisation in the roots of both Misty and Brightwell. However, percentage colonisation was low. The highest colonisation percentage, 20.4%, was observed in Misty inoculated with Oidiodendron maius. Colonisation was significantly different compared to un-inoculated controls in the Misty variety. In both varieties inoculated with either Leohumicola or Meliniomyces did not improve (p > 0.05) shoot growth and biomass. All fungal species improved root biomass in Misty but not in Brightwell. This indicates that ERM inoculation may potentially benefit plant of Misty and that responses to ERM inoculation vary between blueberry varieties.
- Format
- 4 pages, pdf
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Scientia Horticulturae, Bizabani, C., Fontenla, S. and Dames, J.F., 2016. Ericoid fungal inoculation of blueberry under commercial production in South Africa. Scientia Horticulturae, 209, pp.173-177, Scientia Horticulturae volume 209 number 1 173 177 2016
- Rights
- Publisher
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Elsevier Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.elsevier.com/legal/elsevier-website-terms-and-conditions)
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