Strigolactones seem not to be involved in the nonsusceptibilty of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) nonhost plants to AM fungi

Abstract

Although most land plants are hosts for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a small number of plant families are arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) nonhosts. There are indications that strigolactone levels in root exudates of AM nonhost plants are lower than in AM host plants, and it has been shown that in the strigolactone-deficient rms1 mutant (ccd8) of the AM host plant pea, the AMF colonization of roots is highly reduced. Application of the synthetic strigolactone analogue GR24 to this strigolactones-deficient mutant restored AMF colonization of roots. Our objective was to determine whether the application of GR24 to AM nonhost plants can affect their susceptibility to AMF. To test whether GR24 affects AMF colonization in our experimental system, we added GR24 to the strigolactone-deficient pea ccd8 mutant. Application of GR24 increased AMF colonization in the pea mutant to a similar level as in the pea wild type with normal strigolactone levels, showing clearly that in our experimental setup, application of the GR24 positively affects AMF colonization in strigolactone-deficient plants. Observation of cleared roots after application of GR24 to four AM nonhost plant species inoculated with the AMF Glomus intraradices showed that colonization did not occur.