Manipulating the root mycobiome to improve plant performance and reduce pathogen pressure in corn (Zea mays)
Abstract
Crop yield often varies within a field of a single genetically uniform crop plant, with the causes presumed to be a mix of both biotic and abiotic factors. Manipulating crop root mycobiomes could potentially increase yield by reducing pathogen impacts and improving access to soil water and nutrients. This study aimed to identify different fungal inoculation treatments that could increase the growth of corn seedlings sown in low productivity soils to that in high productivity soils and shift the root mycobiome composition. Fungal inoculation treatments did not have significantly different root mycobiome composition than seedlings grown in low yield control soils. However, indicator species varied across primary inoculation treatments and controls. Although corn grown in an autoclaved substrate showed growth promotion with the fungal inoculant Fusarium oxysporum, no fungal inoculant added to low productivity soils resulted in a similar yield to that of seedlings grown in high productivity soils.