Soil phosphate availability modulates the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community and mycorrhizal nutrition in wheat

Understanding the contributions of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to plant nutrition is essential for sustainable agriculture. We hypothesised that soil phosphorus (P) availability modulates the diversity and functionality of wheat root-associated AMF community, particularly the mycorrhizal nutrition.

Wheat plants were sampled over two campaigns (2019 and 2022) in a long-term P fertilisation trial. The expression of the wheat transporters involved in the mycorrhizal nutrition was assessed by RT-qPCR, and AMF community composition by metabarcoding. Complementary experiments under controlled conditions were performed to further study the interaction between nitrogen (N) and P availability on AM.

Different effects of P on AMF colonisation and transporter expression were observed in field-grown wheat depending on the campaigns, which differed in wheat N status. Controlled experiments confirmed that AMF colonisation depends on the limitation of either P or N, but that regulation of peri-arbuscular phosphate, ammonium and nitrate transporters depends on the nature of the limiting soil nutrients. Additionally, AMF communities varied according to the soil P availability, with the Funneliformis genus becoming more dominant under high P conditions for both years.

Together, our findings show that N and P availability jointly shape root AMF communities and AM functioning. Combining community profiling and molecular markers of colonisation and nutrition offers a framework to better understand AMF contributions to plant nutrition across agroecosystems.