Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2024, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 189-202.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2023-1081

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Effects of Endophytic Fungal Inoculation on the Seedling Growth of Silage Maize

WANG Jia-wei(), LI Chen, LIU Jian-li(), ZHOU Shi-jie, YI Jia-min, YANG Jin-yuan, KANG Peng   

  1. College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University; Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection of Agro-pastoral Ecotones in the Yellow River Basin, National Ethnic Affairs Commission of the People's Republic of China; Ningxia Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Development and Applications in Special Environment, Yinchuan 750021
  • Received:2023-11-17 Online:2024-04-26 Published:2024-04-30
  • Contact: LIU Jian-li E-mail:wjw17901402@163.com;ljl7523@126.com

Abstract:

Objective】Endophytic fungi represent significant microbial assets that exert a beneficial influence on plant growth. The method of inoculation plays a pivotal role in determining the growth-promoting efficacy of endophytic fungi.This study aims to investigate the impact of various inoculation methods on the growth-promoting potential of endophytic fungi, thereby offering valuable insights for the practical utilization of endophytic fungi. 【Method】Four strains of endophytic fungi and Piriformospora indica of different species that could promote the growth of silage maize were screened from the endophytic fungi of desert plant roots in the early stage of the research group. Five strains of endophytic fungi were inoculated into the potted seedlings of silage maize by means of root irrigation with mycelial fragment suspension and root wrapping with mycelial mass. After 30 d, the biological characteristics of the seedlings inoculated with silage maize were determined, and the effects of different inoculation methods on the growth of silage maize were compared.【Result】The inoculation method had no significant effect on the mycelial infection rate and basal stem diameter of the five endophytic fungi in the roots of silage maize seedlings, but the other 17 traits related to the growth of silage maize were significantly affected by the inoculation method. The results of principal component analysis showed that the growth-promoting effect of the five endophytic fungi using mycelial fragment suspension root irrigation was significantly better than that of mycelial pellet root, and the difference between the two inoculation methods of P. indica and strain Tm36 was the largest. Ten traits of silage maize seedlings inoculated with P. indica and strain Tm36 were significantly different between the two inoculation methods, they were plant height, aboveground fresh weight, aboveground dry weight, average leaf area, leaf relative water content, root fresh weight, root surface area, root volume, whole plant fresh weight and whole plant dry weight. Among them, the five indexes of plant height, aboveground fresh weight, average leaf area, root fresh weight and whole plant fresh weight were the most different. The growth rate of P. indica inoculated with mycelial fragment suspension was 7.78, 3.74, 15.97, 7.93 and 5.36 times that of mycelial mass inoculation, and was 8.65 times, 4.33 times, 11.18 times, 16.58 times and 7.53 times that of inoculation strain Tm36.【Conclusion】The inoculation method significantly affects the growth-promoting effect of endophytic fungi. The inoculation method of mycelial fragment suspension root irrigation has better effect on the growth of silage maize seedlings than that of mycelial pellet root inoculation. It is recommended to use mycelial fragment suspension root irrigation method.

Key words: endophytic fungi, inoculation method, silage maize, growth promotion, mycelial fragment suspension root irrigation, mycelial mass wrapping root