Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance photosynthesis, water use efficiency, and growth of frankincense seedlings under pulsed water availability conditions

• Published in: Oecologia Vol. 169; no. 4; pp. 895 - 904
• Main Authors: Birhane, Emiru, Sterck, Frank J., Fetene, Masresha, Bongers, Frans, Kuyper, Thomas W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.08.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atmospheric carbon dioxide; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Boswellia; Boswellia - growth & development; Boswellia - microbiology; Boswellia - physiology; Carbon; Carbon - metabolism; carbon sequestration; Drought; drought tolerance; Droughts; Ecology; Field capacity; Fungi; Gas exchange; greenhouse experimentation; Growth; growth & development; Hydrology/Water Resources; leaf area; Life Sciences; metabolism; microbiology; Mycorrhizae; Mycorrhizae - physiology; mycorrhizal fungi; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nutrient status; phosphorus; Phosphorus - metabolism; Photosynthesis; Physiological ecology - Original research; physiology; Phytochemistry; Plant Leaves; Plant Leaves - physiology; Plant Roots; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plant Roots - microbiology; Plant Sciences; Plant Stomata; Plant Stomata - physiology; Plant Transpiration; Potassium; Potassium - metabolism; Rain and rainfall; roots; seedling growth; Seedlings; Seedlings - growth & development; Seedlings - microbiology; shoots; Stomatal conductance; Symbiosis; Transpiration; vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae; Water; Water availability; Water use; Water use efficiency; Water pulse; Precipitation; Seedling; AM fungi

Under drought conditions, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi alter water relationships of plants and improve their resistance to drought. In a factorial greenhouse experiment, we tested the effects of the AM symbiosis and precipitation regime on the performance (growth, gas exchange, nutrient status...