Mycorrhizal inoculation and crop rotation as soil sustainable management strategies to reduce fertilizer use and water consumption in horticultural crops

Abstract

Crop rotation enhances agroecosystem sustainability by reducing nutrient loss, improving soil fertility, and decreasing crop evapotranspiration. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation further supports enhanced nutrient and water uptake by plants, potentially improving water use efficiency and soil health while reducing fertigation needs. However, crop species may respond differently to AMF inoculation under varying fertigation regimes. In this study, the response of four horticultural species to AMF inoculation was investigated under optimal (100 %) and deficit (25 % reduction) water and fertilizer (fertigation) availability. Leek, courgette, white bean, and celery were planted consecutively over the course of two years, with crop production and quality as well as leaf nutrients and soil parameters being measured at the end of each crop cycle. Mycorrhizal inoculation did not improve any agronomic parameter among the crops studied under either fertigation condition.