Abstract
Easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EEG) released from arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi exhibits many roles in soil and plants, while it is not clear whether the biostimulator alone or in combination with agronomic practices can improve soil characteristics and fruit quality in citrus. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of foliar sprays of EEG, singly or in combination with fruit bagging (FB), reflective film mulching (RF), and grass-proof cloth mulching (GPC) on root mycorrhizal colonization rate, fruit internal and external quality, and soil structure and fertility on an early-ripening Satsuma mandarin "Oita 4" (Citrus unshiu cv. Oita 4). Exogenous EEG application increased root mycorrhizal colonization, while agronomic practices dramatically inhibited root mycorrhizal colonization in EEG-treated trees. Foliar EEG application significantly improved the internal and external quality of fruits, but the combination of three agronomic practices with EEG did not further enlarge the improved effect on the external quality of fruit and even produced an inhibitory effect. Also, the addition of RF further amplified the improved effect of EEG on the contents of fruit vitamin C and soluble solids. EEG application also significantly elevated sucrose in the fruit pith and juice sac, fructose in the fruit peel, fruit pith, segment membrane, and juice sac, and glucose in the fruit pith, segment membrane, and juice sac. Additional RF treatment could increase sucrose in the fruit peel and juice sac as well as glucose in the fruit peel to varying degrees in EEG-treated trees. EEG application also significantly increased soil organic carbon, mean weight diameter, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium levels, with additional agronomic practices almost reducing the promoting effect of EEG on these soil variables. It has been summarized that a single EEG application had positive effects on fruit quality and soil fertility, while the additional agronomic practices resulted in little change or even suppressed the positive effects of EEG.