Biodiversity Seminar: Enhancing AMF Inoculation Success Through Microbiome Diagnostics

To mitigate the environmental impact of mineral fertilizers, which includes biodiversity loss and waterway eutrophication, exploring alternative options is crucial. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) offer one such solution, as they engage in symbiotic relationships with most plant species, enhancing growth by providing essential nutrients like phosphorus. However, the success of AMF inoculation is context dependent. To tackle this, we are developing “microbiome diagnostics” to better predict successful AMF inoculation.

The proposed approach involves two steps. The first step is to predict the soil microbiome based on the soil properties. We carried out on-farm experiments in 54 fields, analyzing the physical-chemical properties of the soil and characterizing fungal communities through sequencing. Using redundancy analysis, we constructed a predictive model for the soil microbiome. The second step is to predict AMF inoculation success based on soil properties and the soil microbiome. The abundance of pathogenic fungi during spring season emerged as robust predictor.

Ultimately, the merging of both steps is necessary to eliminate the need for expensive and time-consuming sequencing. Improving the predictability of AMF inoculation success could enhance the efficiency of biofertilizers and thus lead to more sustainable agriculture.

Natacha Bodenhausen is a pioneering microbial ecologist and fervent advocate for sustainable agricultural practices. With a profound passion for understanding the intricate interplay between microorganisms and the environment, she has devoted her career to unraveling the mysteries of soil microbiomes and their impact on agricultural ecosystems.

Our seminars are hybrid. Please send an email to events-biodiversity(at)wsl.ch if you would like to get access to the live stream.

The Biodiversity Seminar Series are organized by the WSL Biodiversity Center. Every two weeks, we aim to host a seminar speaker that presents research or outreach on topics relevant to the biodiversity community at WSL. The seminars are public and are usually broadcasted online.

Find out more about the WSL Biodiversity Center and a complete list of events here.

Please send an email to events-biodiversity(at)wsl.ch if you would like to be updated on the activities of the WSL Biodiversity Center.