Growth of Four Varieties of Coffea arabica L. Biofertilized with Rhizophagus intraradices and Azospirillum brasilense in Nursery

Coffee production has decreased due to environmental and management factors. The current plantations are old and unproductive, also due to the rust problem, caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix Berk & Br. Furthermore, the shade in the production systems has decreased with the consequent increase in soil erosion, in addition to the increase in agrochemicals. Currently, the planting of new varieties with resistance to the fungus is increasing. Furthermore, it has been shown that various biofertilized perennial crops in nursery favor their growth. In this study, the effect of applying two beneficial microorganisms, Rhizophagus intraradices and/or Azospirillum brasilense, to the planting of four varieties of Coffea arabica L. was evaluated. The coffee varieties marseillase, geisha, sarchimor and costa rica 95 were established in bags with the following treatments: 1) control, 2) R. intraradices, 3) A. brasilense, 4) R. intraradices + A. brasilense. Morphological and physiological yield components were recorded 168 days after transplanting. Data was analyzed statistically and differences between treatments were compared according to Tukey (p ≤ 0.05). The results indicate that individual or combined biofertilization of microorganisms favors dry matter allocation compared to the control and the same is differentially assigned to the stem and root. The Specific Leaf Area (SLA) also showed differential response between applications of the microorganisms, in two varieties it increased when they were applied alone and in the others when they were applied together.

Integrative multi-omics approaches reveal that Asian cultivated rice domestication influences its symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Potential changes in the symbiotic relationship between rice(Oryza sativa)and microorganisms have occurred during the domestication of Asian cultivated rice(O.sativa)from common wild rice(Oryza rufipogon)and in response to global climate change,along with evolving adaptations to the environment.The potential genes may express differently or dominate the symbiotic relationships between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)and plants,which may be beneficial to rice breeding.To date,research on this important topic has been limited.In this study,we aimed to examine the symbiotic relationships of Asian common wild and cultivated rice species with AMF.By conducting a comparative metagenomic analysis of the rhizospheres of wild and cultivated rice species,we identified differences in Rhizophagus intraradices-related genes associated with wild and cultivated rice,as well as functional genes of AMF.Furthermore,we obtained root-related genes associated with AMF from transcriptome data of rice roots.Our results collectively suggest that R.intraradices-related genes in the rhizosphere of wild rice may be more conducive to its colonization.Additionally,bacteria from the Nitrosomonadaceae and Nitrospiraceae families identified in the rhizosphere of wild rice exhibited positive correlations with R.intraradices-related genes with protein identifiers 1480749 and1871253,which may indicate that nitrobacteria can enhance the functions of R.intraradices in association with wild rice.Next,in a case study using comparative transcriptome analysis of root samples obtained from R.intraradices-inoculated wild and cultivated rice plants,we found significantly higher expression levels of the strigolactone pathway-related genes DWARF3(D3)and DWARF14(D14)in R.intraradices-inoculated common wild rice than in R.intraradices-inoculated cultivated rice.This study provides a theoretical basis for identifying the effects of domestication on mycorrhizal symbiosis-related genes,which could be promoted in wild rice in the future.