Contribution of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation to the Growth and Photosynthesis of Mulberry in Karst Rocky Desertification Area

Abstract

The photosynthesis effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on mulberry was evaluated in karst rocky desertification area. Three-month-old sterile mulberry saplings were transplanted in karst rocky desertification area and were inoculated with Gigaspora rosea. Some growth parameters and photosynthesis indexes were measured to study the physiological responses after inoculating for 1 year. The results showed mulberries that were inoculated with AMF had greater height, larger stem diameter and leaf area, more leaf number per plant, more fibrous root number and biomass of shoots and roots, as well as higher chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance compared with non-AMF plants. The research results confirmed that AMF markedly enhanced the absorptive ability of root system, promoted the vegetative growth, improved the photosynthetic capacity, and obviously increased mulberry survival rate in karst rocky desertification area. These results provided a theoretical base for the ecological restoration in karst rocky desertification area.