EFFECT OF THE SYMBIOTIC ENDOMYCORRHIZAE ON THE REPRODUCTIVE YIELD

AND DEVELOPMENT OF RAPID GROWTH RADISH BRASSICA RAPA

By Paulina Martin
(1152 Honors Biology)

ABSTRACT
It is not a coincidence that symbiotic associations between mycorrhizae fungi and plants
are present in 80% of land plants (Klironomos et al. 2000). Despite its benefits, environmental
factors can shift the plant-mycorrhizal balance from positive, to neutral or even negative
(Ronsheim 2012). The objective for the present investigation is to determine whether the
symbiotic association created between arbuscular mycorrhizae and Brassica rapa has
advantageous, neutral or disadvantageous effects for the plant. Based on literature findings, a
prior prediction is that mycorrhizae will have a beneficial effect on Brassica rapa, promoting
plant growth, rapid development, and reproductive yield. After experimentation and data
analysis, it was concluded that the symbiotic association between endomycorrhizae and Brassica
rapa plants had beneficial effects on the reproductive yield of plants, but neutral effects on the
germination of seeds of the plants. This reasoning was supported by the obtained results, which
demonstrated that the treatment group had a greater number of plants flowering, of plants
initiating pods and of flowers per plant, than the control group. Furthermore, it was also
concluded that mycorrhizae had neutral effects on seed germination of Brassica rapa, since the
number of seed germinating was similar between the treatment and the control plants.

INTRODUCTION

It is not a coincidence that symbiotic associations between mycorrhizae fungi and plants are
present in 80% of land plants (Klironomos et. Al. 2000). While the plant supplies the fungus with
carbon, the fungal contribution is more complex because it assists the plant with the acquisition
of immobile nutrients (Harrison 1996). Endomycorrhizae or arbuscular mycorrhizae forms
specialized structures called external fungal hyphae and internal arbuscules (Harrison 1996),
which enhances the uptake of macronutrients such as a phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium (RamosZapata et al 2009; Pendleton 2002; Campbell 2013), micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium,
zinc (Ostar and Apkinar 2011; Madejon et al 2009; Shamsra et al 2012 ;), and water (Pendleton
2002). Moreover, mycorrhizae has the ability to change the populations of microorganism from
the soil like nitrogen fixing bacteria, affecting this way the growth of plants. In addition to this,
mycorrhizae provides protection, improving the plant resistance to diseases (Saia et al 2014),
droughts, soil pollution (Hodge 2002), biotic and abiotic stresses (Saia et. Al. 2014), and gravity
damages (Zachee et. al. 2008). For these reasons, it is reasonable to think that endomycorrhizae
play an important role in ecosystems (Riling 2004), thus representing two thirds of all the
symbiotic associations between fungi and plants (Hodge 2002).
Despite its benefits, environmental factors can shift the plant-mycorrhizal balance from
positive, to neutral or even negative (Ronsheim 2012). Thus, the objective for the present
investigation is to determine whether the symbiotic association created between arbuscular
mycorrhizae and Brassica rapa has advantageous, neutral or disadvantageous effects on the
number of germinating plants, number of flowering plants, number of producing pods, and the
number of flowers produced per plant (flower count/ flowering plants). Based on literature
findings, a prior prediction is that mycorrhizae will have a beneficial effect on Brassica rapa,
promoting plant growth, rapid development, and reproductive yield.

METHODS
The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions at College of DuPage, Glen
Ellyn, Illinois. From January 21st, 2015 to March 3rd, 2015, (41 days), the plant samples were
exposed to a photoperiod typical to Northern Illinois during January and maintained to the
constant temperature of 20C.
In order to eliminate foreign organisms such as bacteria, two litters of Moisture Control
Potting Mix soil, (Miracle-Gro Lawn Company), were cook at 148.889C for six hours.
Subsequently, thirty plastic cups with small holes on the base were filled with 50 ml. of the cook
soil. Afterwards, three Brassica rapa seeds were sown inside each one of the thirty cups. Because
the experiment was conducted to test the effect of mycorrhizae on plants, the samples were
separated into two groups, each one with fifteen replicates: the control group and the treatment
group. After labeling the replicates with a T for treatment, or a C for Control, each group
was positioned inside a plastic tray. Moreover, 10 ml. of GLOMYGEL mycorrhizal inoculum
(MYCOVITRO S.L., Granada, Spain), and 1 L. of distilled water were combined to create a
solution. The previous solution was spread among the treatment group (67 ml. per plant).
Additionally, water was added to the control group.
Once a week, tap water was added to the trays, so that the plants could absorb the ideal
amount of water. Throughout the experiment, four parameters were measured: number of
germinating plants, number of flowering plants, number of plants producing pods, and the
number of flowers per plant. These measurements were taken on February 11 (Day 20), February
18 (Day 27), February 27 (Day 34), and March 4 (Day 41).
Finally, after the experiment finished, the Chi-square test and the T-test were used to
analyze the obtained data: (1) The Chi-square goodness of fit test was used to test for differences

in counts of seeds germinating, plants flowering, and plants initiating pods between treatments;
(2) A one-tailed t-test was used to test if the mycorrhizal treatment showed a higher mean
flowering count/flowering plant.
RESULTS
Table No. 1 summarizes the number of germinating plants, flowering plants, and plants
initiating pods. The Chi-square test was applied to each one of these parameters.
Number of seeds germinating. - The amount of seeds germinating was measured on days
20, 27 and 41. The Chi-square value obtained for day 20 (7.08, P < 0.05) suggests that the
number of seeds germinating differs between the control (6 seeds germinating) and the treatment
(13 seeds germinating) replicates. Similarly, the Chi-squared value for day 27 (5.18, P < 0.05)
shows that the total number of germinating seeds is significantly different between the control
group (14 seeds germinating) and the treatments group (23 seeds germinating). In contrast, the
Chi-square value calculated for day 41(1.08) indicates that the total amount of germinating
seeds are similar in both the control (19 seeds germinating) and the treatment (24 seeds
germinating) replicates.
Number of plants flowering. - The number of plants flowering per group was measured
on days 34 and 41. After analyzing the calculated Chi-squared value for day 34 (3.12, P < 0.05),
it can be inferred that the number of plants flowering is similar between both groups (4 plants
flowering for the control replicates and 8 plants flowering for the treatment replicates). However,
the obtained Chi-squared value for day 34 (5.31, P < 0.05) indicates that the number of flowers is
significantly greater in the treatment group (15 flowering plants) than in the control group (8
plants flowering).

Number of plants initiating pods. - This parameter was measured only on day 41. The
Chi-square value obtained for this measurement (15.25, P < 0.05) shows that there is a
substantial difference in the amount of plants initiating pods between the control group (2 plants)
and the treatment group (8 plants).
Besides the number of germinating plants, flowering plants, and plants initiating pods,
the mean value of flowers per plant/mean value of flowering plants was also examined using the
T-test. The mean value for flower count/mean value of plants flowering standard deviation are
shown on Table No. 2.
Mean value for flower count/mean value of plants flowering.- Once the

calculated, the

to

and the

tc

to

value was

were compared so as to know if there was a difference

between flower count/ flowering plants between the treatment and the control plants. Since
t o> t c ( 3.165>1.721 ) , it can be inferred that mean flower count/flowering plant was
significantly higher among plants in the mycorrhizal treatment (20.1 + 9.82; 15), than among
control pants (8.5 + 4.17; 8).
DISCUSSION
Number of seeds germinating. even though the amount of seeds germinating for the
treatment group was greater than for the control group during the first 27 days, on day 41, the
numbers of seeds between both groups was similar. According to these data and the Chi-squared
test, it can be inferred that the symbiotic relationship between Brassica rapa and the arbuscular
mycorrhizae is only beneficial during the first stage of development. Once all the fifteen plants
form the treatment group germinated, it was only about time for the plants from the control

group to germinate; thus, the mycorrhizal association was neutral at this point, and therefore
there was not a difference in seeds germinating after 41 days. This growth depression is probably
caused because the cost of the carbohydrate drain by the endomycorrhizal fungus may be grater
that the benefit received by the plant (Ronsheim 2012).
Similar results were obtained by Pendleton (2000) where the treatment plants grew best
during the first year, but by the end of the second year the treatment had no significant effect.
Number of plants flowering. - The obtained data reveals that after 41 days, the amount of
plants flowering was substantially greater on the treatment replicates than in the control
replicates. These results suggest that the symbiotic association between Brassica rapa and
arbuscular mycorrhizae has a beneficial effect on the production of flowers, probably because
mycorrhizae improves the uptake of nutrients responsible for plant flowering and reproductive
success such as nitrogen and phosphorus (Poulton et al 1993; Ramos-Zapata et. Al. 2009). The
result for the present study agree with Pendleton (2002), who found that treatment plants had end
to have an earlier flowering, prolonged. Additionally, Shamshiri et al (2011) conclude that the
reproductive growth of mycorrhizal Kinnow and soybean plants was affected to some extent due
to an increase in flower production.
Number of plants initiating pods.- Since there is a substantial difference in the amount of
plants initiating pods between the control group and the treatment group, it is concluded that
mycorrhizal symbiosis was an advantaged for early pod development of Brassica rapa plants.
Similar conclusions that support the present research were obtained in other
investigations in which mycorrhizal associations showed to increase flower bud production in
pepper (Shamshiri et. Al 2012). Other researchers like Zachee eta al (2008) stated in their
investigation that the data obtained suggested an increase in yield per hectare of about 628% for

mycorrhizal plants compared to control, conforming the results of Betsama (1999). In addition to
this, Pendleton (2002) also noted that mycorrhizal symbiosis augmented the production of seeds
and the number of flower buds, and also enhanced growth and female reproductive output.
Mean value for flower count/mean value of plants flowering.- Because the mean flower
count/flowering plant was significantly higher among plants in the mycorrhizal treatment than
among control pants, on average, there was a greater amount of flowers among the treatment
group. Thus, it is reasonable to say that the mycorrhizal association had a beneficial effect on
treatment replications of Brassica rapa, causing a greater production of flowers per plant. A
greater amount of flowers per plant could be explained by the ability of mycorrhizal plants to
allocate less resources to root and more nutrients to reproductive yield (Rosenheim 2012). The
result for the present study agree with Pendleton (2002), who found that treatment plants had a
threefold increase of male flowers over control plants. Pendleton also noted that mycorrhizal
symbiosis augmented the number of inflorescences. Similarly, Scagel and Schreiner (2006)
concluded that arbuscular mycorrhizae treatment increased the flower production of petunia,
spotted snapweed and Chinese aster. Moreover, Rosenheim (2012) stated that the presence of
mycorrhizae in plant resulted in larger bulbs and a greater amount of flowers per plant.
In conclusion, after analyzing the obtained data (Table No. 1 and Table No. 2) and
evaluating the proposed hypothesis, it is reasonable to state that the symbiotic association
between endomycorrhizae and Brassica rapa plants had beneficial effects on the reproductive
yield of plants, but neutral effects on the germination of seeds of the plants. Recall from the
results that the treatment group had a greater number of plants flowering, of plants initiating pods
and of flowers per plant, than the control group. Furthermore, it was also concluded that

mycorrhizae has neutral effect of seed germination of Brassica rapa, since the number of seed
germinating was similar between the treatment and the control replicates.
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Table No. 1 summarizes the number of germinating plants, flowering plants, and plants
initiating pods. The Chi-square test was applied to each one of these parameters.
Day of the
experiment
20
27
41
34
41

Treatment
Mycorr
hizae
Seeds germinating
6
13
14
23
19
24
Plants flowering
4
8
8
15
Plants initiating pods
Control

*7.08
*5.18
1.08
*3.12
*5.31

41
Note: * denotes significant (P<0.05).

*15.25

Table No. 2 shows the mean value for flower count/mean value of plants flowering standard
deviation.
Treatment
Control
Mycorrhizae

Flower count/flowering
plant
8.5 + 4.17; 8
20.1 + 9.82; 15