Description:
Onions need a huge amount of fertilizer in order to obtain a good yield due to their meager and inefficient root system. As a result onion is very sensitive to drought. Also the uptake of nutrients, especially phosphate is limited. For low-input systems, such as organic agriculture, plants need to be good nutrient scavengers. Soil fungi, such as arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, can increase the uptake of phosphate by colonizing onion roots and forming a network of fungal hyphae in the soil. Large rooting systems will help to improve the uptake of nutrients. A large rooting system may also be involved in resistance to Fusarium basal rot, a disease that is occurring more often in the Netherlands, especially in warm and dry summers.
Research objectives:
The aim of the project is to get a better understanding of the relationship between mycorrhiza-interaction, rooting system and fusarium resistance for the breeding of onions under low input conditions. In other words: if plants become resistant to Fusarium basal rot, does this result in difficulties with mycorrhiza-interactions, giving problems with growth and nutrient uptake?
Results and products:
The result of this project is knowledge on the relationship between mycorrhiza-interaction, rooting system and fusarium resistance in onion. The products are specified genotypes for the use in breeding companies characterized for growth under low input conditions having a good interaction with mycorrhizal fungi, a well developed rooting system and resistance to Fusarium basal rot. Furthermore, scientific papers describing the results of this research will be published. |
