The Use of Compost Tea in a Containerized Urban Tree Nursery Shows No Evident Benefits to Tree Growth or Mycorrhizal Colonization

Compost tea is a liquid organic amendment that has been reported to benefit plant growth and performance through positive effects on microbial communities nutrition. However, few studies have demonstrated this for containerized plants produced in tree nurseries. Five common urban species (Acer negundo, Corymbia maculata, Ficus platypoda, Hymenosporum flavum, Jacaranda mimosifolia) were grown experiment investigate the of compost application root mycorrhizal colonization over six months. The composition was also determined with 16S (bacteria) ITS1 (fungi) metabarcoding. No significant effect or observed. Roots all colonized by one type fungi, ectomycorrhizae (ECM), vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM). no relationship between percentage detected. Thus, there evidence once-off had benefits trees nursery setting. Further research needed whether any from evident once are planted into landscapes where conditions may be more challenging.