Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi shift competitive relationships among crop and weed species

Aims Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses affect plant competitive relationships within and among species and may be involved in the interactions among agricultural weed species and crops, depending on their mycorrhizal status. In this work, the impact of native AM fungi (AMF) on maize-weed(s) and weed-weed competitive relationships was assessed, using Solanum nigrum and Chenopodium album as model host and non-host weeds, respectively. Methods Growth performance, nutrient use and competitive ability of crop and weed species were assessed in the pure stand and in different model plant communities of host and non-host species. Results Results showed that maize performance decrease was more severe when grown with C. album than with S. nigrum. Differential responses to AMF occurred in the two weed species tested: mycorrhizal S. nigrum showed reduced biomass and N uptake when grown in competition with C. album. The negative performances observed when mycorrhizal S. nigrum grew in competition with C. album corresponded to C. album larger biomass production and N uptake. Conclusions Results showed that AMF are able to alter the competitive relationships between co-occurring plant species differing in their mycorrhizal status (host/non-host), thus representing key soil organisms to be taken into account in sustainable weed management strategies.