Occurrence and richness of arbuscular mycorrizal fungi in vineyards with grapevine decline and dieback symptoms

Abstract

This research identified arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in rhizosphere soil of grapevines with Grapevine Death and Decline symptoms (GDD) or asymptomatic healthy (H) plants, and characterized the relationship of AMF communities with soil chemical attributes. The AMF spore number ranged from 287 to 432 spores 50 cm-3 in soil with GDD plants, and from 357 to 464 spores 50 cm-3 in H plants, with no differences among vineyards or between GDD and H plants within each vineyard. We detected 42 species and 17 genera, and most taxa belonged to Acaulosporaceae or Glomeraceae. Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Funneliformis mosseae, and Archaeospora trappei were the most frequent species in all vineyards. Soil chemical attributes were not determinant for the occurrence of most fungal species; although, Entrophospora infrequens, Diversispora sp1 and Diversispora sp2 were associated with a vineyard having high soil copper. Vineyards harbor highly diverse AMF communities, which are determined by location.