Mycorrhizal colonization represents functional equilibrium on root morphology and carbon distribution of trifoliate orange grown in a split root system
Abstract Trifoliate orange seedlings were grown in perspex pots of a split root system, where one half of the split roots was inoculated with or without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, Acaulospora scrobiculata or Funneliformis mosseae Five months after inoculation, the growth performance, leaf, stem and root biomass and photosynthetic rate were generally significantly higher in AM than in non AM seedlings. Greater root morphological traits were observed in the AM root side than in the non AM side for the same plant and in AM than in non AM plants. AM seedlings had significantly higher leaf sucrose and glucose contents and total (leaf root) glucose and fructose contents as compared to non AM ones. In the split roots, the AM side displayed substantially higher sucrose, glucose and fructose contents than the non AM side for the same plant, and in AM than in non AM plants. These results showed greater C movement into the non AM side from an AM colonized plant than from a non AM colonized plant. These results conclude that the presence of AM in one side of the split roots benefited C acquisition and root development to another half non AM side, suggesting functional equilibrium and resource allocation of AM within a root system.