AUTHOR=Song Mingxia , Lin Xiaoru , Wei Xiaowei , Zeng Qingpan , Mu Chunsheng , Zhou Xiaofu 

TITLE=Trichoderma viride improves phosphorus uptake and the growth of Chloris virgata under phosphorus-deficient conditions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1425034

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1425034

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=Phosphorus (P) deficiency can significantly impede plant growth. While Trichoderma viride (T. viride) has been recognized for promoting the assimilation of otherwise unobtainable nutrients, its impact on P uptake remains understudied. This research explored the influence of T. viride inoculation on P absorption and the growth of Chloris virgata (C. virgata) across various P sources. We treated plants with control P (P), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), calcium phytate (PHY), and low P (LP), with and without T. viride inoculation (P+T, TCP+T, PHY+T, LP+T). We analyzed photosynthesis parameters, growth indices, pigment accumulation, P content, leaf acid phosphatase activity. Results demonstrated that T. viride inoculation alleviated inhibition of photosynthesis, reduced leaf acid phosphatase activity, and enhanced growth of C. virgata in the presence of insoluble P sources. Additionally, T. viride inoculation enabled the plants to extract more available P from insoluble P sources, as evidenced by a substantial increase in P content: shoot P content surged by 58.23% to 59.08%, and root P content rose by 55.13% to 55.2%. Biomass P-use efficiency (PUE) declined by 38% upon inoculation with T. viride compared to the non-inoculated insoluble P sources, paralleled by a reduction in photosynthetic P-use efficiency (PPUE) by 26% to 29%. Inoculation under insoluble P sources further triggered a lower allocation to root biomass (25% to 26%) and a higher investment in shoot biomass (74% to 75%). However, its application under low P condition curtailed the growth of C. virgata. Our results suggest that T. viride inoculation represents an innovative approach for plants to acquire available P from insoluble P sources, thereby promoting growth amid environmental P limitations.