Tripartite associations in an alder: effects of Frankia and Alpova diplophloeus on the growth, nitrogen fixation and mineral acquisition of Alnus tenuifolia

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 254; no. 1; pp. 179 - 186
• Main Authors: Yamanaka, Takashi, Li, Ching-Y., Bormann, Bernard T., Okabe, Hiroaki
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 01.07.2003; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acetylene reduction; Acquisitions & mergers; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Basalt; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Forest soils; Frankia; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Inoculation; Mineral composition; Minerals; Nitrogen fixation; Perlite; Plants; Seedlings; Symbiosis; Frankiaceae; Basidiomycetes; Tritrophic system; Material weathering; Inorganic element; Frankia; Actinomycetales; Fungi; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Nitrogen fixation; Bacteria; Ectomycorrhiza; mineral weathering; Hardwood forest tree; tripartite symbiosis; Betulaceae; Thallophyta; Symbiosis; mycorrhizal formation; Nutrition; Alpova; Alnus; Mineral matter; Organogenesis; Biological fixation; Mycorrhiza; Actinomycetes; Spermatophyta; Soil plant relation; Alpova diplophloeus
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1024938712822

The role of tripartite associations among Frankia, Alpova diplophloeus (an ectomycorrhizal fungus) and Alnus tenuifolia in growth, nitrogen fixation, ectomycorrhizal formation, and mineral acquisition of A. tenuifolia was investigated. Seedlings of A. tenuifolia were planted in pots containing a mixture of ground basalt–perlite, or perlite alone, which served as the control. The seedlings were inoculated with Frankia isolated from root nodules of alder, followed by spores of A. diplophloeus and grown for 5 months in a greenhouse. The seedlings grown in the pots with a mixture of ground basalt–perlite after dual inoculation with Frankia and A. diplophloeus had the heaviest shoots and root nodules in dry weight, and showed the greatest nitrogen-fixing ability measured by acetylene reduction. Ectomycorrhizae formed with A. diplophloeus increased when this fungus was inoculated together with Frankia. The mineral composition (P, K, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Si and Al) in the seedlings was also determined. The results of these experiments showed that the tripartite associations could improve the growth, nitrogen fixation and mineral acquisition (rock solubilization) of A. tenuifolia.