Trifolium resupinatum maintains the flowering and the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis under water excess
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.26.36.2.0.2598Keywords:
persian clover, water stress, phosphorus uptake, arbuscular mycorrhizal colonizationAbstract
1. Phosphorus deficiency, water stress and the low frequency of legumes in the Salado River basin (Buenos Aires) affect forage production and, thus, livestock activity. Trifolium resupinatum L. may be considered a promising forage alternative.
2. This study evaluated the tolerance of Trifolium resupinatum at the flowering stage to water excess, focusing on phosphorus mobilization in plant tissues and on the dynamics of its association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. A greenhouse trial was conducted in pots with typical Natracuol soil, comparing adult plants subjected to waterlogging (water level 1 cm above the soil surface) with a control (80% of field capacity) for 27 days.
3. Waterlogging reduced shoot and root biomass by 34% and 29%, respectively, compared to control plants. Relative shoot and root growth rates decreased by 25% and 33%, respectively, under this stress, while specific root length increased by 48%.
4. A decrease in the number of leaves per pot and a 173% increase in root phosphorus concentration were also observed under waterlogging.
5. Arbuscules decreased by 44%, while vesicles and hyphae increased by 53% and 35%, respectively, under waterlogging.
6. Implications. These results indicate that Trifolium resupinatum develops adaptive responses that allow it to tolerate water excess in typical Natracuol soils, positioning it as a viable forage alternative for the Salado River basin region.
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