Micorrización nativa de la cebolla en respuesta a la aplicación de bioinoculantes, fertilización inorgánica y déficit hídrico

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are important components of the soil microbiota which interact with other beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere. The synergistic effect of this naturally occurring association between the soil and introduced microorganisms to improve growth and to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses plays a key role in crop productivity. In this research, the native mycorrhizal colonization of onion (Allium cepa L.) was evaluated in the presence of a plant growth promoting microbial consortium (MC), under inorganic fertilization and water deficit regimes, in a semiarid region of the Venezuelan Andes. The main objectives were to determine the colonization potential of arbuscular mycorrhizae and to quantify the presence of mycorrhizal spores in soil under field conditions. An onion crop was established with normal irrigation (NIr) (100% ETc) and water deficit (WD) (67% ETc), with different fertilization treatments (MC with 0%, 50%, and 100% NPK). Native mycorrhizal colonization was determined by counting vesicles and arbuscules in the roots of onion plants in all treatments, and mycorrhizal spores in the soil of the experimental plot were quantified before and after the trial in the rhizospheric soil for each treatment. The treatments showed no significant differences in native mycorrhizal colonization, but the soil spore count was higher in the MC 100% NPK NIr treatment. Additionally, the mechanization of the plot significantly reduced the presence of mycorrhizae in the soil, suggesting that greater implementation of non-conventional practices could improve preservation of biodiversity and increase soil health through agricultural management.