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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the water expenditure of two strawberry cultivars (Albion and San Andreas) inoculated with three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) grown in two substrates. Moreover, to determine their efficiency in the strawberry plant nutrition and fruit quality.
Design/ Methodology/ Approach: Five treatments were established: plants inoculated with Funneliformis geosporum, F. mosseae BEG25, and F. mosseae Mich; with conventional management (M. conv), and control. Water consumption, photosynthetic pigments, plant macro- and micronutrient concentrations, soluble sugar concentration, titratable acidity, pH, and Brix degrees in fruits, and mycorrhizal colonization and glomalin concentration were analyzed.
Results: In both substrates, the lowest water consumption was observed in plants inoculated with F. mosseae Mich. Plants inoculated with F. mosseae BEG25 had similar foliar and fruit concentrations of almost all nutrients analyzed to those of plants with the M. conv treatment. Fruits from inoculated plants had higher Brix degrees, total sugars, glucose, and citric acid than these parameters in control plants.
Limitations/ Implications of the study: Although inoculated plants received 40% less nutrient solution (with fertilizer cost savings of US$461 per ha), these showed improved plant nutrition and fruit quality.
Findings/ Conclusions: AMF inoculation is a promising strategy for strawberry production under greenhouse conditions, with savings in water and fertilizer use.