Fate, tree growth effect and potential impact on soil microbial communities of mycorrhizal and bacterial inoculation in a forest plantation

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry 2004, Vol.36 (2), p.211-216
• Main Authors: Heinonsalo, J, Frey-Klett, P, Pierrat, J.-C, Churin, J.-L, Vairelles, D, Garbaye, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural sciences; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biochemistry and biology; Biolog; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Co-inoculation; Community; Douglas fir; Economic plant physiology; ectomycorrhizae; forest plantations; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Laccaria bicolor; Life Sciences; mycorrhizal fungi; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Pseudotsuga menziesii; seedling growth; shoots; soil bacteria; soil inoculation; soil microorganisms; Soil science; Soil study; strains; Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...); tree growth
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2003.09.007

The knowledge of the survival of inoculated beneficial fungal and bacterial strains in the field and the effects of their release on the indigenous microbial communities has been of great interest since the practical use of selected natural or genetically modified microorganisms has been developing. The aim of this study was to monitor, 4 years after plantation into the field site, the effects of Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii) co-inoculation with the mycorrhiza helper bacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens BBc6R8 and/or the fungal strain Laccaria bicolor S238N on seedling growth and on the indigenous bacterial and ectomycorrhizal communities using quantitative and qualitative approaches. The field persistence of the inoculated strains was also monitored. The seedling shoot volume estimate was statistically significantly higher in the fungal inoculated plots in comparison to the non-inoculated plots but no treatment-related changes in the quantitave or qualitative microbial measurements were observed and the inoculated strains could not be detected after 4 years.