Abstract:
Objectives This study is to explore the impact of orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) inoculation on the growth and nitrogen metabolism of Cymbidium hybridum under various NO3−/ NH4+ ratios.
Methods Cultivar Cymbidium hybridum ‘580’ and OMF C2y1 were used as test materials in a pot experiment. The C2y1 inoculation was carried out by watering into soils during the seedling stage of Cymbidium hybridum, taking water as control group. Under each group, N was supplied in three different NO3−/NH4+ ratios of 8∶1 (T1), 1∶1 (T2), and 1∶8 (T3). The increased growth and biomass weight of the shoot, and the enhanced length of roots of C. hybridum seedlings were measured, the nutrient contents in both shoot and root, and the activities of nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) in leaves were analyzed. PCR method was used to confirm the infection of C2y1 fungi.
Results Without inoculation, the significantly higher fresh weight growth and dry matter accumulation of C. hybridum were recorded under T2, while the significantly higher root growth was recorded at T3. The PCR results proved the infection of C2y1 on the root of C. hybridum through the soil watering method, and the infection intensity was enhanced with the increase of ammonia nitrogen supply ratio. Compared to the no inoculation control, C2y1 inoculation significantly enhanced shoot growth and biomass accumulation of C. hybridum under various nitrogen form ratios, with the largest promotion on shoot growth under T3 treatment, and the highest promotion on root was under T1 treatment. C2y1 inoculation significantly enhanced the absorption of N, P, K, Fe, Zn, Cu. Notably, with the highest concentrations of N, P, K, and Zn in shoot under T1 ratio, while their concentration in roots were not affected by C2y1 inoculation. The NR activity in C. hybridum seedlings under C2y1 inoculation was positively correlated with the nitrate nitrogen supply ratios, while GS activity was on the contrary.
Conclusions C. hybridum prefers nitrate to ammonia, however, ammonia is conducive the infection of C2y1, which help C. hybridum to adapt to the soil environment. Inoculation of C2y1 could stimulate the growth and nutrient absorption, and the promotion effect under high ammonia environment is even more obvious.