Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important forage legume in farming and animal husbandry systems. This study assessed the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on alfalfa growth under different phosphorus application levels. In this experiment, a complete randomized block design was used. The following four bacterial applications were used: inoculation of Funneliformis mosseae (Fm), inoculation of Bacillus megaterium (Bm), inoculation of mixed species (Fm × Bm) and noninoculation treatment (CK). Phosphorus (P) treatment was applied at the following four levels: 0 mg kg-1 (P0), 50 mg kg-1 (P1), 100 mg kg-1 (P2) and 150 mg P kg-1 (P3). The results showed that with the increase in phosphorus application, each index increased first and then decreased. The J2 treatment was significantly greater than the J0 treatment (P < 0.05) under the same bacterial treatment. In each cropping period the difference in each index to alfalfa was extremely significant under J, P treatment and J × P interactive treatment (P < 0.01). The indexes were compared by membership function. The priority order was as follows: J3P2 > J1P2 > J3P1 treatment. Therefore, when phosphorus was applied at 100 mg kg-1, the mixed inoculation of Fm × Bm was optimal, benefitting mycorrhiza growth and the production performance of alfalfa.
Keywords: AMF; Alfalfa; Growth traits; Nutritional quality; Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria.