Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Reduced Nitrogen Loss via Runoff, Leaching, and Emission of N2O and NH3 from Microcosms of Paddy Fields

This study aims to investigate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis in reducing N loss from paddy fields, using two rice lines: a mycorrhiza-defective rice line (non-mycorrhizal) and its mycorrhizal progenitor. Two rice lines were grown in the presence of an AM fungal isolate. In this study, N loss of runoff, leaching, N 2 O emission, and NH 3 volatilization were measured, and in addition, N uptake of rice, soil aggregates, and plant available N concentration of soil. The results obtained suggest that N loss via runoff, leaching, NH 3 volatilization, and N 2 O emission of mycorrhizal rice was 11%, 8%, 6%, and 1%, lower than that of non-mycorrhizal rice, respectively. Meanwhile, mycorrhizal rice has higher biomass and plant N uptake. Our study shows that the AM symbiosis contributes to the sustainability of rice production by reducing N loss, enhancing soil aggregation and increasing plant N uptake.