FIELD PERFORMANCE AND ESSENTIAL OIL PRODUCTION OF MYCORRHIZAL ROSEMARY IN RESTORATION LOW‐NUTRIENT SOILS

The establishment and growth of Rosmarinus officinalis L. under field conditions in two low-nutrient-content soils were evaluated, as well as the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on essential oil production. The reclamation was conducted in two experimental sites: a limestone quarry and a wasteland soil, both surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation. Mycorrhizal R. officinalis plants inoculated with different AM fungal isolates were used to revegetate the sites. Pre-transplant inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi resulted in an increased survival of R. officinalis with similar results in both experimental areas. Mycorrhizal inoculation enhanced plant growth, increased essential oil yield and improved the establishment of plants under field conditions. The results indicate that the presence of the symbiosis can accelerate plant growth and alter the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, thus improving the yield of medicinal plant extracts. It also confirmed the importance of selecting plant/symbiont combinations adapted to the environmental constraints of low-nutrient-content soils to design a successful application of mycorrhizal technology in marginal soils. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.