Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

Global evaluation of commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculants under greenhouse and field conditions

M.J. Salomon, R. Demarmels, Stephanie J. Watts‐Williams, Mike J. McLaughlin, Arjun Kafle, C. Ketelsen, Alex Soupir, Heike Bücking, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden

Applied Soil Ecology · 2021

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Summary

This multisite comparative evaluation assessed the practical effectiveness of commercially available arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculants under both controlled greenhouse and diverse field conditions across global locations. The study design—spanning controlled and variable field environments—provides evidence on the consistency and context-dependency of these biological soil amendments across different soils, climates, and crop species. Results likely demonstrate variable effectiveness depending on local soil characteristics, climatic conditions, and management practices, with implications for the reliability and utility of commercial AMF products in diverse agricultural contexts.

UK applicability

Findings on AMF inoculant performance across variable soil and climate conditions are potentially relevant to UK farming systems, particularly for temperate arable and horticulture sectors where soil biology enhancement is increasingly sought. However, direct applicability will depend on whether UK sites were included in the multisite evaluation and whether soil and climatic conditions in the study encompassed UK conditions.

Key measures

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonisation; plant biomass and growth; nutrient acquisition; crop yield; performance consistency across environments

Outcomes reported

The study assessed agronomic performance and effectiveness of commercial AMF inoculants under controlled greenhouse and variable field conditions across multiple global sites. Measurements likely included plant growth, nutrient uptake, mycorrhizal colonisation rates, and yield outcomes across different soil types and crop species.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil biology & microbiology
Study type
Research
Study design
Field trial
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Mixed farming
DOI
10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.104225
Catalogue ID
BFmokjoajl-0phoen

Topic tags

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