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 multi-site evaluation assessed the performance of commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculants under standardised greenhouse and field conditions across participating research institutions. The study aimed to determine whether commercially available AM fungal products deliver consistent benefits to crop growth and nutrient acquisition, as suggested by their marketing claims. The research contributes empirical data on the reliability and practical utility of AM inoculants in agricultural systems.

UK applicability

Findings are relevant to UK farming practice, particularly for horticultural and arable producers considering AM inoculant adoption to enhance soil health and reduce synthetic fertiliser inputs. The global scope of the evaluation provides UK practitioners with comparative data on product efficacy, though soil type, climate and management factors specific to UK conditions would require site-specific validation.

Key measures

Plant growth responses, mycorrhizal colonisation rates, nutrient uptake, and inoculant efficacy across different crops and soil conditions under greenhouse and field settings

Outcomes reported

The study evaluated the effectiveness of commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculants across multiple crop species and growth conditions. Performance was assessed under both controlled greenhouse and field environments to determine consistency and reliability of commercially available products.

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
Laboratory / in vitro
DOI
10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.104225
Catalogue ID
BFmor3gc43-f05xhn

Topic tags

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