Growth of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) and production of essential oil stimulated by arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
Introduction
Most plants have roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the most obvious beneficial effect of this association is the increase in plant growth by increasing the uptake of nutrients, especially those of low mobility such as phosphorus (P), zinc and copper (Smith and Read, 2008). In mycorrhizal symbiosis, interactions are regulated by permanent molecular mechanisms, from the recognition of symbionts to the functional establishment of associations (Sędzielewska-Toro and Delaux, 2016). Changes in plant metabolism and plant symbiosis with AMF, result in more vigor and resistance to adverse environmental conditions by increasing the production of structural components, defense compounds and energy reserves (Smith and Read, 2008). Under drought stress, i.e. chamomile plants have decreased essential oil (EO) content and the proportions of camazulene and bisabolo oxide B, however produced more carbohydrates, proline and bisabolo oxide A (Jeshni et al., 2017). In this environmental condition, the AMF would assume high importance for increasing nutrient absorption and protective adaptation capacity (Song, 2005).
According to the literature data, the production of biomass and metabolites in medicinal plants can be modulated not only by environmental and crop factors, but also by mycorrhization (Beltrame et al., 2019, Lermen et al., 2017, 2019; Morelli et al., 2017; Cruz et al., 2019, 2020). Singh et al. (2010) studied green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, Theaceae] and after two years observed that mycorrhization significantly increased plant growth and the levels of total amino acids and proteins (up to 100% increase), total sugars (16%), reducing sugars (45%) and non-reducing sugars (69%). Regarding secondary metabolism compounds, the authors found an increase in the concentrations of total polyphenols (15%) and caffeine (34%).
Geneva et al. (2010) evaluated EO quantitative standard of Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) inoculated with Glomus intraradices and observed increases in dry matter production and in the content of antioxidant metabolites (ascorbic acid and glutathione). Zubek et al. (2010) evaluated specimens of Inula ensifolia L. (Asteraceae) inoculated with Glomus intraradices, G. clarum and AMF native community and obtained higher levels of thymol in mycorrhizal plants. In Hipericum perfuratum L. (Hipericaceae), Zubek et al. (2012) found an increase in hypericin, the main active compound of the plant after mycorrhization. Barto et al. (2011), when evaluating the allelopathic potential of Alliaria petiolata Bieb. (Brassicaceae), observed higher levels of glucosinolates and flavonoids in mycorrhizal plants.
Plant growth is influenced by mycorrhization and by various environmental factors, and as the degree of root colonization by AMF and symbiotic efficiency are also modified by several environmental factors, this study included the analysis of the influence of soil pH, an important variable in the dynamics the transport and absorption of mineral nutrients in the soil solution, especially phosphorus, the key element of the AMF association (Smith and Read, 2008), as well as auxin application that is closely related to the production of strigolactones, terpenoids involved in the communication between roots and AMF (Marzec et al., 2013).
The present study was carried out in three stages, one in the field and two in potted plants. The field phase aimed to evaluate the mycorrhizal status of the chamomile plants and the diversity of the AMF communities, which formed the basis for the AMF inoculum production. Two assays were carried out in pots: first, to investigate the influence of mycorrhization and inoculum concentration on the development and production of chamomile capitula; second, to observe the influence of environmental factors (soil pH and addition of auxin) on the effect of mycorrhization on the growth, production of capitula and essential oil of chamomile.
Section snippets
Field sampling
Ten soil samples (50 g) were collected in an organic planting area of commercial chamomile, located in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Paraná - Brazil (Mandi Erva farm) to evaluate the AMF diversity. The AMF spores were extracted by wet sieving (Gerdemann and Nicolson, 1963) and sucrose centrifugation (Jenkins, 1964). Spores were quantified under light microscopy on permanent slides with polyvinyl alcohol-lactic acid-glycerol (PVLG) and PVLG + Melzer's reagent (Morton et al., 1993). The
AMF diversity of field-produced chamomile plants
Twenty-two species were identified, distributed into eleven genera: Acaulospora (4), Ambispora (3), Claroideoglomus (3), Dentiscutata (1), Diversispora (1), Funneliformis (3), Gigaspora (1), Glomus (3), Sclerocystis (1), Scutellospora (1), and Septoglomus (1). The species with the highest number of spores were Sclerocystis sinuosa and Diversispora tortuosa, the first found in only one sample, and the second in seven samples (Table 1). We observed a high variation in the number of spores per
Conclusions
The development and production of chamomile plants are influenced by subtle changes in soil pH and by effective mycorrhizal symbiosis. Increase in the production of capitula and in the essential oil content can be obtained from the manipulation of soil pH and in the management of the AMF community in the soil. Neutral soil pH and quantity of mycorrhizal propagules close to or above 300 spores g−1 of soil at the beginning of cultivation favor the production of capitula and essential oil of
Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgment
Odair Alberton acknowledge a research fellowship from the CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development).
References (62)
- et al.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) organic cultivation
Ind. Crop. Prod.
(2019) - et al.
Metabolomic responses triggered by arbuscular mycorrhiza enhance tolerance to water stress in wheat cultivars
Plant Physiol. Biochem.
(2019) - et al.
The changes of yield and essential oil components of German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) under application of phosphorus and zinc fertilizers and drought stress conditions
J. Saudi Soc. Agric. Sci.
(2017) - et al.
Growth of Lippia alba (Mill.) N. E. Brown inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with different levels of humic substances and phosphorus in the soil
J. Appl. Res. Med. Aromat. Plants
(2017) - et al.
Effect of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and labeled nitrogen fertilizer on root colonization and spore density of some medicinal plants
Zagazig J. Agric. Res.
(2017) - et al.
Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae and phosphorus application on plant growth rate, essential oil content and composition of coriander (Coriander sativum L.)
Prog. Nutr.
(2016) - et al.
Plant sesquiterpenes induce hyphal branching in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Nature
(2005) - et al.
Differences in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities associated with sugar maple seedlings in and outside of invaded garlic mustard forest patches
Biol. Invasions
(2011) - et al.
Meta-analysis of Lamiaceae and Euphorbiaceae medicinal plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Aust. J. Crop. Sci.
(2019) - et al.
Silício melhora produção e qualidade do girassol ornamental em vaso
Ciência Rural.
(2009)
The potential use of arbuscular mycorrhiza in the cultivation of medicinal plants in Barak valley, Assam: a review
Curr. World Environ.
The interaction between strigolactones and other plant hormones in the regulation of plant development
Front. Plant Sci.
Phytochemistry of Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth promoting bacteria
Ind. Crop. Prod.
Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alters content and composition of essential oil of Sage (Salvia officinalis) under different phosphorous levels
Aust. J. Crop. Sci.
Camomila. Série Plantas medicinais, condimentares e aromáticas
Regulation of root morphogenesis in arbuscular mycorrhizae: what role do fungal exudates, phosphate, sugars and hormones play in lateral root formation?
Ann. Bot.
Variation in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization modifies the expression of tolerance to above-ground defoliation
J. Ecol.
Effects of foliar fertilization and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on Salvia officinalis L. growth, antioxidant capacity, and essential oil composition
J. Sci. Food Agric.
Spores of mycorrhizal Endogone species extracted from soil by wet sieving and decanting
Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc.
Evaluation of techniques for measuring VA mycorrhizal infection in roots
New Phytol.
Arbuscular mycorrhiza of herbs colonizing a salt affected area near Krakow (Poland)
Acta Soc. Bot. Pol.
Signaling in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
Annu. Rev. Microbiol.
Plant responsiveness to mycorrhizas differs from dependence upon mycorrhizas
Mycorrhiza
A rapid centrifugal-flotation technique for separating nematodes from soil
Plant Dis. Rep.
A family of transketolases that directs isoprenoid biosynthesis via a mevalonate-independent pathway
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. Unit. States Am.
Effects of organic farming on communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
MYCOBIOLOGY
Growth of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus clarus and Claroideoglomus etunicatum) under contrasting phosphorus levels
Aust. J. Crop. Sci.
Measuring Biological Diversity
Fungal lipochitooligosaccharide symbiotic signals in arbuscular mycorrhiza
Nature
Strigolactone biology: genes, functional genomics, epigenetics and applications
Crit. Rev. Biotechnol.
Biomass production of chamomile capitula as a result of nitrogen and phosphorus
Hortic. Bras.
Cited by (6)
Inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus addition increase coarse mint (Plectranthus amboinicus Lour.) plant growth and essential oil content
2020, RhizosphereCitation Excerpt :Specifically, EO content increased by 28.75, 55.56, 56.95, 53.63 and 55.24% for Santolina chamaecyparissus, Salvia officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Geranium dissectum and Origanum dictamnus, respectively. Almeida et al. (2020) observed that the growth of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and EO content were increased by AMF inoculation. Kapoor et al. (2004) showed that Foeniculum vulgare inoculated with AMF and addition of P increases significantly plant biomass and EO content.
Influence of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on the Production and Composition of Essential Oils
2024, Essential Oils: Extraction Methods and ApplicationsInfluence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Morphophysiological Responses and Secondary Metabolism in Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) Under Different Water Regimes
2023, Journal of Plant Growth RegulationStrategies to modulate specialized metabolism in mediterranean crops: From molecular aspects to field
2021, International Journal of Molecular Sciences