Abstract
Rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium sp.) is a highly valued aromatic crop. Its growth is limited by soil salinity and sodicity stress. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), and P fertilizers may enhance the growth and secondary metabolism in geranium plants. In this context, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of PSB, AM fungi (Glomus intraradices), and P fertilizer on the yield, chemical composition of essential oil, and mineral element acquisition of geranium. The dry matter yield of shoot and essential oil yield, and mineral element (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Cu, and Zn) uptake in shoot tissues of geranium were significantly increased by the inoculation with AM fungi, co-inoculation with AM fungi and PSB, and P fertilization as compared to control. While the co-inoculation of geranium with AM fungi and PSB significantly enhanced the content of the monoterpenes such as citronellol, geraniol, geranial, and a sesquiterpene (10-epi-γ eudesmol), the P fertilization only enhanced the content of a sesquiterpene, 10-epi-γ eudesmol in the volatile oil. We conclude that the co-inoculation of PSB and AM fungi could be the best natural alternative to phosphate fertilizers to enhance the yield and quality of essential oil from geranium plants grown in sodic soils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Adams RP (1995) Identification of essential oil components by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Allured, Carol Stream
Araim G, Saleem A, Arnason T, Charest C (2009) Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus increases growth and secondary metabolism of purple cone flower, Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. J Agric Food Chem 57:2255–2258
Arpana J, Bagyaraj DJ (2007) Response of Kalmegh to an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and a plant growth promoting rhizomicroorganism at two levels of phosphorus fertilizer. American–Eurasian J Agric Environ Sci 2:33–38
Azcon R, Barea JM, Hayman DS (1976) Utilization of rock phosphate in alkaline soils by plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate solubilizing bacteria. Soil Biol Biochem 8:135–138
Azcon R, Azcon-Aguilar C, Barea JM (1978) Effects of plant hormones present in bacterial cultures on the formation and responses to VA endomycorrhiza. New Phytol 80:359–364
Barea JM, Azcon R, Hayman DS (1975) Possible synergistic interactions between Endogone and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in low-phosphate soils. In: Sanders FE, Mosse B, Tinker PB (eds) Endomycorrhizas—proceedings of a symposium held at the University of Leeds. Academic, New York, pp 409–417
Biermann B, Linderman RG (1981) Quantifying vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal: a proposed method towards standardization. New Phytol 87:63–67
Chhabra R, Abrol IP, Singh MV (1981) Dynamics of phosphorus during reclamation of sodic soils. Soil Sci 132:319–324
Collavino MM, Sansberro PA, Mroginski LA, Aguilar OM (2010) Comparison of in vitro solubilization activity of diverse phosphate-solubilizing bacteria native to acid soil and their ability to promote Phaseolus vulgaris growth. Biol Fertil Soils 46:727–738
Copetta A, Lingua G, Berta G (2006) Effects of three fungi on the growth, distribution of glandular hairs and essential oil production in Ocimun basilicum L. var. Genovese. Mycorrhiza 16:485–494
Gauvin A, Lecomte AH, Smadja J (2004) Comparative investigations of the essential oil of two scented geranium (Pelargonium sp.) cultivars grown on Reunion Island. Flav Fragr J 19:455–460
Guenther E (1950) The essential oils, 4th edn. Van Nostrand, Princeton
Gupta ML, Prasad A, Ram M, Kumar S (2002) Effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum on the essential oil yield characters and nutrient acquisition in the crops of different cultivars of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) under field conditions. Bioresour Technol 81:77–79
Harrewijin P, Van Osten AM, Piron PGM (2001) Natural terpenoids as messenger—a multidiscipilinary study of their production, biological functions and practical applications. Kulwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht
Jackson ML (1973) Soil chemical analysis. Prentice-Hall, New Delhi (Indian reprint)
Juliani H, Koroch A, Simon JE, Hitimana N, Daka A, Ranarirelo L, Langenhoven P (2006) Quality of geranium oils (Pelargonium sp.): case studies in southern and eastern Africa. J Essent Oil Res 18:116–121
Khaosaad T, Vierheilig H, Nell M, Zitterl-Egleseer K, Novak J (2006) Arbuscular mycorrhiza alters the concentration of essential oils in oregano (Origanum sp., Laminaceae). Mycorrhiza 16:443–446
Kim KY, Jordan D, MC Donald GA (1998) Effect of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae on tomato growth and soil microbial activity. Biol Fertil Soils 26:79–87
Knight WG, Allen MF, Jurinak JJ, Dudley LM (1989) Elevated carbon dioxide and solution phosphorus in soil with vesicular abuscular mycorrhizal western wheat grass. Soil Sci Soc Am J 53:1075–1098
Loomis WD, Corteau R (1972) Essential oil biosynthesis. Recent Adv Phytochem 6:147–185
Marschner H (1986) Mineral nutrition of higher plants. Academic Press, London
Marschner H, Dell B (1994) Nutrient uptake in mycorrhizal symbiosis. Plant Soil 159:89–102
Nautiyal CS, Bhadauria S, Kumar P, Lal H, Verma MD (2000) Stress induced phosphate sulubilization in bacteria isolated from alkaline soils. FEMS Microbiol Lett 182:291–296
Nowak J (2004) Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and organic fertilization on growth, flowering, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis and transpiration of geranium (Pelargonium hortorum L.H. Bailey ‘Tango Orange’). Symbiosis 37:259–266
Phillips JM, Hayman DS (1970) Improved procedures for clearing roots and staining parasitic and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for rapid assessment of infection. Trans Br Mycol Soc 55:158–163
Prasad A, Chattopadhyay A, Chand S, Naqvi AA, Yadav A (2006) Effect of soil sodicity on the growth, yield, essential oil composition, and cation accumulation in rose-scented geranium. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 37:1805–1817
Qudar A (1995) Requirement of rice crop for phosphorus and potassium at varying sodicity levels. J Plant Nutri 18:2291–2303
Ram M, Prasad A, Gupta N, Kumar S (1997) Effect of soil pH on the essential oil yield in geranium. J Med Aromatic Plant Sci 19:406–407
Rapparini F, Llusia J, Penuelas J (2008) Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization on terpene emission and content of Artemisia annua L. Plant Biol 10:108–122
Sanyal SK, De Datta SK (1991) Chemistry of phosphorus transformation in soil. Adv Soil Sci 16:1–20
Singh NT, Bhumbla DR, Kanwar JS (1969) Effect of gypsum alone and in combination with plant nutrients on crop yields and amelioration of a saline and sodic soils. Indian J Agric Sci 39:1–9
Szabolcs I (1989) Salt affected soils. CRC, Boca Raton
Taha SM, Mahmoud SAZE, Damaty AH, El-Hafez AMA (1969) Activity of phosphate-dissolving bacteria in Egyptian soils. Plant Soil 31:149–160
Toussaint JP, Smith FA, Smith SE (2007) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can induce the production of phytochemicals in sweet basil irrespective of phosphorus nutrition. Mycorrhiza 17:291–297
Venkateshwar Rao G, Manoharachary C, Rajeshwara Rao BR (2002) Beneficial influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal association on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium species). Philipp J Sci 131:49–58
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. M. Alam, Scientist-G, CIMAP, Lucknow, India, for providing AM inoculum and Dr. C.S. Chanotiya, Scientist-C, for the chemical analysis of the essential oil.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prasad, A., Kumar, S., Pandey, A. et al. Microbial and chemical sources of phosphorus supply modulate the yield and chemical composition of essential oil of rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium species) in sodic soils. Biol Fertil Soils 48, 117–122 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0578-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0578-9