Relationship between chlorosis, photosynthesis and the nutrient content of plane trees in the presence of chemical and organic fertilizers

Abstract

Chlorosis disorder is a major problem affecting the growth and physiological processes of many trees including plane trees (Platanus orientalis L.). This experiment was conducted to study the relationship between leaf chlorosis disorder and the nutritional status and some important physiological characteristics of plane trees. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replications and four treatments including control, manure (M), manure + fertilizer (20-5-10) (MF), and manure + fertilizer + mycorrhizal fungi (MFA) (Glomus intraradices + G. mosseae). The results showed that although all treatments significantly improved the nutrients content, soluble carbohydrates content, photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll content in the leaves, they mostly reached their peak in the mycorrhizal inoculated plants. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) were increased in the AMF amended trees compared to the control plants. The photosynthesis rate was enhanced by all the mixtures at least by 60% compared to the control. The most Chlorosis (17.5%) to the leaves recorded on the control plants, while leaf damage dropped to less than 2.9% at mycorrhizal treatment leading to the improved nutritional balance in the plane trees. The results proved the effectiveness of including mycorrhizal inoculation to the common fertilization practices to prevent leaf chlorosis in the plane trees.