Endophytic microorganisms and nitrogen levels on rice plant growth

ABSTRACT Endophytic microorganisms can stimulate growth depending on the interaction between the host plant and soil nutrients availability. This work aimed to evaluate the growth of rice BRS Tropical plants cultivated with endophytic microorganisms and nitrogen levels in greenhouse. The experimental design was 4 x 4 factorial scheme completely randomized, corresponding to four treatments (control - without fungal inoculum and three mycorrhizal isolates: UFLA351 - Rhizoglomus clarum, UFLA372 - Claroideoglomus etunicatum and UFLA401 - Acaulospora morrowiae) and four doses of urea (0, 100, 300 and 600 mg Kg-1 N), with four replications. Rice BRS Tropical plants were colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and endophytic fungi dark septate (DSE). Nitrogen fertilization based on urea does not influenced colonization by UFLAs and by endophytic fungi DSE in rice plants. Nitrogen fertilization inhibited the formation of hyphae, but does not the production of vesicles and arbuscules of the UFLAs isolates. Mycorrhizal sporulation was inhibited by nitrogen fertilization, depending on the fungi isolate. The control treatment rice plants colonization by endophytic fungi DSE, without AMF, was inhibited by nitrogen fertilization. The colonization by endophytic fungi DSE do not interfered in the mycorrhizal colonization by UFLA isolates. Rice BRS Tropical plants were responsive to the inoculation of isolates UFLA351 and UFLA401 with 600 mg Kg-1 N. Rice BRS Tropical plants cultivated without AMF and with 600 mg Kg-1 N were responsive to nitrogen fertilization.