Cover cropping can be a stronger determinant than host crop identity for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities colonizing maize and soybean.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding the role of communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in agricultural systems is imperative for enhancing crop production. The key variables influencing change in AMF communities are the type of cover crop species or the type of subsequent host crop species. However, how maize and soybean performance is related to the diversity of AMF communities in cover cropping systems remains unclear. We therefore investigated which cover cropping or host identity is the most important factor in shaping AMF community structure in subsequent crop roots using an Illumina Miseq platform amplicon sequencing.

Methods

In this study, we established three cover crop systems (Italian ryegrass, hairy vetch, and brown mustard) or bare fallow prior to planting maize

SUBMITTER: Higo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6369830 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature