2019
The Use of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Improve Potassium Acquisition in Soybean in North Carolina
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Carolina Soybean Producers Association
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
GeneticsGenomicsSeed quality
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Kevin Garcia, North Carolina State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
19-033
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Carolina Soybean Producers Association
$39,540
Institution Funded:
North Carolina State University
$39,540
Brief Project Summary:

Soybeans need potassium for biomass production, stress tolerance and reproductive growth. Those factors translate to yield. However, just a fraction of the potassium in soils is available to plants. In response, plants have developed strategies to efficiently take up this nutrient. Symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationships between land plants and soil microbes are the most important strategy for absorbing nutrients and water. This research focuses on understanding how beneficial fungi help soybeans acquire soil potassium. This multi-year project investigates the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on K uptake in soybeans in the field and greenhouse. The laboratory portion of the study concentrates on understanding the mechanism and amount of K transported into soybeans.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Potassium is an essential macronutrient for plants, and its availability strongly affects biomass production, tolerance to stress, and yield. Since only a small fraction of the soil potassium content is plant available, plants must develop efficient strategies for the uptake of potassium from the soil. The most important strategy used by plants to acquire nutrients is the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, a mutualistic association between the majority of land plants and ubiquitous soil fungi. With this project, we are investigating the impact of the application of AM fungal inoculum on K nutrition of three soybean varieties in laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Results will help NC growers and producers to breed and select varieties that are able to interact efficiently with their surrounding microbes, resulting in a more efficient use of commercial fungal biofertilizers in the field.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.