PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - M. Rosario Ramírez-Flores
AU  - Elohim Bello-Bello
AU  - Rubén Rellán-Álvarez
AU  - Ruairidh J. H. Sawers
AU  - Víctor Olalde-Portugal
TI  - Inoculation with the mycorrhizal fungus <em>Rhizophagus irregularis</em> increases nutrient uptake in maize (<em>Zea mays</em>) through hyphal foraging and promotion of root growth
AID  - 10.1101/695411
DP  - 2019 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 695411
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/07/08/695411.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/07/08/695411.full
AB  - Plant root systems play an important role in nutrient and water acquisition. In resource-limited soils, modifications of the root system architecture is an important strategy to optimize plant performance. The majority of terrestrial plants also enter into symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to maximize nutrient acquisition. In addition to direct delivery of nutrients, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi provide secondary benefits by promoting root growth. Here, we investigated the interaction of nutrient limitation and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in their impact on root system development and nutrient uptake in maize. Inoculated plants showed an increase in biomass and total mineral content. In addition to greater biomass, mycorrhizal plants had denser, more branched root systems. We quantified twenty different mineral nutrients. For the majority of elements, the increased content in mycorrhizal plants was proportional to root system growth and development. Boron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur and strontium, however, accumulated to levels that indicated fungal delivery to be supplementing root uptake.