Impact of different maize varieties on mycorrhizal formation, microbial Phosphorus mobilization and availability on maize on a long-term field experiment in Rostock

The site characteristics of arable soil are often a limiting factor that must be used optimally under sometimes unfavorable conditions. This makes it all the more important in the future to use the natural microbiome of the soil effectively, especially against the backdrop of the increasing problems of global warming and resource consumption. Symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi is a tool that is used by countless plants to support the supply of nutrients or counteract drought stress. It can be assumed that different varieties have different tendencies to interact with the microbiome. The aim is therefore to gain insights into whether the choice of variety at a location allows a statement to be made about the mycorrhizal tendency and whether this consequently influences the phosphorus nutrient status in the soil and plant. To this end, two different maize varieties were investigated in a two-year trial (2021 and 2022) on a permanent trial site in Rostock under four fertilization regimes with regard to their mycorrhizal propensity and microbial phosphorus mobilization and availability.

Research domain: Soil Sciences

Research question: It was investigated to what extend the tendency/abundance of mycorrhizal fungi formation on maize is influenced by the choice of crop variety and whether it affects the phosphorus nutrient supply in the soil and plant.