Exploring Adaptation Strategies of Common Bean to Phosphorus Deficiency under Field Conditions: Interactions between Nutrient Uptake and Symbiotic Associations

Understanding the factors influencing phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) use efficiencies under soil P deficiency, is essential for developing strategies to mitigate P limitation. This study was conducted to investigate how common bean copes with P deficiency under Mediterranean agro ecological conditions. Three genotypes (Contender (C), Djadida (Dj), and Tema (T)) were grown across nine field sites in the Tizi-Ouzou province of Algeria. The sites were grouped into three clusters according to soil texture, pH, and altitude. At flowering stage, plants were uprooted and analyzed for growth, nodulation, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization, P and N content, and corresponding nutrient use efficiencies. The study results show highly significant effect of cluster (P<0.001), a significant effect of genotype (P<0.05), and a significant genotype × cluster interaction (P<0.01), on plant growth and P and N Use Efficiencies. Shoot Dry Weight, P and N use efficiencies differ significantly among clusters and genotypes within the same cluster, while AMF colonization didn’t differ between genotypes. These parameters were significantly higher in the clusters 2 and 3 characterized by fine textured and alkaline soils and situated at low altitudes. Nodulation occurred only in the cluster 1 with coarse textured soils, neutral pH and high altitudes. The genotype C performs better in clusters 1 and 2, while T performed better in cluster 3. Interestingly, Dj showed intermediate performances between C and T, across all clusters. Integrating such knowledge into breeding programs could strengthen common bean resilience and productivity in phosphorus-deficient agro-ecosystems.