Symbiotic Fungi Alter the Acquisition of Phosphorus in through Regulating Root Architecture, Plant Phosphate Transporter Gene Expressions and Soil Phosphatase Activities.

Plant roots can be colonized by many symbiotic fungi, whereas it is unclear whether and how symbiotic fungi including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic fungi promote phosphorus (P) uptake in plants. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of inoculation with a culturable endophytic fungus (), three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (, , and ), and mixture of . , . and . on plant growth, root architecture, soil Olsen-P, soil phosphatase activities, leaf and root P concentrations, and phosphate transporter gene expressions, in order to explore the potential and mechanism of these symbiotic fungi on P acquisition. All the symbiotic fungi colonized roots of . after 16 weeks, with . showing the best effect on fungal colonization. All the symbiotic fungi significantly increased acid, neutral, and total phosphatase activities in the soil, accompanied with an elevation of soil Olsen-P, of which . presented the best effect. All symbiotic fungal treatments, except . , significantly promoted plant growth, coupled with an increase in root total length, area, and volume. Symbiotic fungi almost up-regulated root expressions as well as leaf , , and expressions. Correlation analysis showed that P concentrations in leaves and roots were significantly positively correlated with root morphological variables (length, volume, and surface area) and soil acid, neutral and total phosphatase activities. It is concluded that symbiotic fungi, especially . , played an important role in P uptake of . plants through regulating root architecture, part plant phosphate transporter gene expressions and soil phosphatase activities.