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 peer-reviewed study presents a global evaluation of commercial AM fungal inoculants, comparing their efficacy under controlled greenhouse conditions against real-world field performance. The research, involving multiple international authors specialising in mycorrhizal biology and soil microbiology, examines the gap between laboratory-demonstrated benefits and practical agricultural outcomes. The findings suggest variable effectiveness of commercial products, with implications for inoculant selection and application in farming systems.

UK applicability

UK farmers and advisors assessing commercially available AM inoculants would benefit from this global comparative dataset, particularly regarding product selection for temperate arable and horticultural systems. The field-trial component provides evidence relevant to UK soil and climate conditions, though direct UK site data would strengthen applicability.

Key measures

Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation rates, plant growth parameters, and inoculant effectiveness under greenhouse versus field conditions

Outcomes reported

The study evaluated the effectiveness of commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculants under both controlled greenhouse and field conditions. As suggested by the title, the research assessed performance variation across different inoculant products and growing environments.

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
BFmovi26qr-w32pk6

Topic tags

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