EFFECTS OF SOIL COMPACTION ON WHEAT GROWTH, NUTRIENT STATUS, AND ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/eijaer.v12i2.135Keywords:
Soil compaction, Spring wheat, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Nutrient status, Grain yieldAbstract
Soil compaction can alter soil physical conditions, nutrient availability, crop performance, and plant-microbial interactions, yet wheat varieties may differ in their responses to these constraints. This study evaluated the effects of soil compaction on soil properties, wheat growth, nutrient status, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) symbiosis across five spring-wheat varieties. A balanced 2 x 5 factorial design comprising compacted and non-compacted soil conditions, five wheat varieties, and four replicates per treatment-variety combination was analyzed. Soil physicochemical properties, shoot biomass, grain yield, shoot phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), AMF root colonization, fungal lipid biomarkers, and AMF diversity were assessed. Compaction significantly increased soil bulk density and nitrate concentration. Shoot biomass and grain yield did not differ significantly between treatments, whereas shoot P and N concentrations were significantly greater under compacted conditions. Overall AMF colonization, PLFA and NLFA biomarkers, virtual-taxon richness, Shannon diversity, and Simpson diversity were not significantly affected by compaction. However, cultivar-specific responses were evident, with Alderon showing a pronounced increase in AMF root colonization under compacted conditions. Variety significantly influenced grain yield and shoot nutrient concentrations. These findings demonstrate that soil compaction influences wheat primarily through changes in soil physical conditions and nutrient status, while AMF responses depend partly on wheat genotype.
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