TY  - JOUR
AU  - Gan, Xinyu
AU  - Janus, Jennifer
AU  - Willbold, Sabine
AU  - Dombinov, Vitalij
AU  - Kuhn, Arnd J.
AU  - Amelung, Wulf
AU  - Reinecke, Diana
AU  - Calahan, Dean
AU  - Nedbal, Ladislav
AU  - Klose, Holger
AU  - Schrey, Silvia D.
TI  - Wheat growth and phosphorus uptake from polyculture algal biofilms are synergistically modulated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Serendipita vermifera
JO  - Plant and soil
VL  - 514
SN  - 0032-079X
CY  - Cham
PB  - Springer Nature Switzerland AG
M1  - FZJ-2025-02556
SP  - 1923-1940
PY  - 2025
AB  - Background and aims:Phosphorus (P) from surface waters can be captured in algal biomass, which can be used as a fertilizer. We investigated the efficiency of polyculture algal biofilms produced on municipal wastewater effluent as a P fertilizer for wheat. We asked whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the beneficial root endophyte Serendipita vermifera influence plant performance and P uptake.Methods:Two pot experiments were performed with wheat fertilized with algal biofilms or highly available triple superphosphate (TSP) at a rate of 37 mg P kg−1, corresponding to 56.8 kg ha−1. In the second experiment, plants were inoculated with AMF (Rhizoglomus irregulare, Funneliformis mosseae, F. geosporum), S. vermifera, or both. P species contained in the algal biofilm and P release dynamics were analyzed by liquid-state 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and leachate analyses.Results:Algal biofilms contained high levels of orthophosphate with low water solubility. P recovery by wheat was lower than from TSP, as indicated by plant total dry matter and total P. In algae-fertilized wheat, AMF reduced growth but not P uptake, while S. vermifera in dual inoculation with AMF mitigated the adverse effects. S. vermifera significantly increased root growth and P content in roots when co-inoculated with AMF.Conclusion:Polyculture algal biomass is an effective, less leaching-prone organic P source for wheat. The synergistic effect of S. vermifera as a root growth-promoting fungus in its interaction with AMF shows the potential and relevance of microbial involvement in using algae-based fertilizers.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
DO  - DOI:10.1007/s11104-025-07493-5
UR  - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/1042402
ER  -