Influence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Rhizobium on Soil Health and Plant Growth

The research project aims to assess the effect of beneficial soil microorganisms on plant growth and soil health for sustainable crop production under dryland conditions. This includes enhanced knowledge of the interactions of plant and microbes in the soil that contribute to resilience in abiotic and biotic production constraints relevant to the pulse industry. In particular, we would like to determine the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus intraradices) and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv veceae as seed treatments on the root-soil microbial population involved in nutrient cycling and disease resistance against soil-borne fungal pathogens. Within this project, we will culture, transfer, and inoculate Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani f.sp pisi or both to pea seedlings previously seed-treated with beneficial soil microbes. We will record the root rot disease levels, plant (nodulation, biomass, and yield components) and soil (physicochemical analysis, temperature, and moisture) data parameters in the growth chamber and greenhouse. The greenhouse experiment will simulate pea cropping system in the field to assess the agronomic performance of pea and the efficacy of beneficial microbial inoculants in mitigating disease buildup. We will inoculate the pathogens only under controlled condition, while our field experiment will rely on natural infection. Further, we will collect root soil samples for microbiome studies to examine the composition of the microbial communities as affected by beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms, and the associated plant phenotype and soil functions.