High colonization by native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) of rubber trees in small-holder plantations on low fertility soils in North East Thailand

ABSTRACT

Rubber tree is a very important crop in Thailand, representing an essential source of income for farmers. In the past two decades, rubber tree plantations have been greatly expanding in unfavorable areas, where climate conditions are difficult and soil fertility is very poor. To optimize latex yields, mineral fertilizers have been widely used. A better understanding of the roles of the biological compartment in soil fertility is essential to determine alternative management practices to sustain soil fertility and optimize latex yields. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely recognized as beneficial for plants, mainly through their role in improving plant nutrient uptake. The objective of this study was to assess the AMF populations in rubber tree plantations and the impact of both soil characteristics and plantation age on these communities. Our results showed that all rubber trees were highly colonized, regardless of the soil structure and nutrient contents. AMF colonization was not affected by the age of the trees, suggesting that maintaining the symbiosis is likely to be beneficial at all stages. A better understanding and management of the microbial communities would contribute to maintaining or restoring soil fertility, leading to a better tree growth and optimized latex yield.

KEYWORDS:

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
• rubber tree
• soil fertility
• chronosequence

Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to Khun Tum and Khun Kasem for assistance with the field work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Deakin University, CIRAD and the UMR Eco&Sols and was part of the TICA project entitled ‘Towards an improvement of soil and water quality in the context of land use and climate changes in Thailand’.