Inorganic phosphate availability in the hyphal compartment shapes arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community structure within the Lycium barbarum rhizosphere

The symbiotic relationship between host plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi relies fundamentally on reciprocal nutrient transfer, yet whether inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations within the hyphal zone regulate AM fungal assemblages in the Lycium barbarum rhizosphere remains poorly characterized. To address this gap, a layered trap culture approach was employed to examine how Pi levels exclusive to the hyphal compartment affect AM fungal compositional shifts, species richness, and sporulation patterns in the L. barbarum root zone, with the ultimate aim of establishing a scientific framework for identifying and selecting high-performing AM fungal strains. Herein, a layered trap culture system was established, with Pi levels in the mycelium layer manipulated to create Pi-deficient and Pi-sufficient conditions. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) characterized AM fungal community structure; spore taxa were identified via single-spore molecular identification, and spore abundance quantified. AM fungal diversity in L. barbarum rhizosphere was significantly higher under Pi-deficient than Pi-sufficient conditions in the mycelium layer. Conversely, Pi-sufficiency significantly increased spore numbers, with Rhizophagus intraradices as the dominant species. These results suggest that Pi availability in the hyphal compartment influences the composition and sporulation patterns of AM fungal communities associated with L. barbarum , with Pi-sufficient conditions associated with increased sporulation and low-Pi conditions with greater apparent community diversity and shifts in dominant community structure. These findings point to new avenues for identifying and deploying superior AM fungal strains in ecologically sound cultivation practices.