Growth Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Research Articles

Context dependence of grassland plant response to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: The influence of plant successional status and soil resources

Abstract Many of the disturbance‐sensitive, late successional plant species in grasslands respond to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi more positively via growth and establishment than plants that readily establish in disturbed areas (i.e. early successional species). Inoculation with AM fungi can therefore aid the establishment of late successional species in disturbed areas. If the differential benefit of AM fungi to late versus early successional plants is context‐dependent, however, this advantage could be diminished in high phosphorus (P) post‐agricultural soils or in future climates with altered precipitation. In this greenhouse experiment, we tested if late successional plant species are less plastic in their reliance on AM fungi than early successional plants by growing 17 plant species of different successional status (9 early and 8 late successional) in full factorial combinations of inoculated or uninoculated with AM fungi, with ambient or high P levels, and with low or high levels of water. AM fungi positively affected the biomass of the 17 grassland plant species, but across all environments, late successional plant species generally responded more positively to AM fungi than early successional plants species. AM fungal growth promotion and change in below‐ground biomass allocation was generally diminished with P fertilizer across all plant species, and while there was significant variation among plant species in the sensitivity of AM fungal responsiveness to P fertilization, this differential sensitivity was not predicted by plant successional status. The role of AM fungi in plant growth promotion was not generally altered by variation in watering, however late successional plant species allocated a greater proportion of their biomass below‐ground in response to AM fungi in low versus high water conditions. Synthesis. Overall greater responsiveness to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi by late successional species is consistent with an important role of AM fungi in plant succession, even while AM fungi are less impactful overall in high P soils. However, the increase in responsiveness of below‐ground allocation of late successional species to AM fungi in low water conditions suggests that successional dynamics may be more dependent on AM fungi in future climates that feature greater propensity for drought.

Improving Inoculum Production of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Zea mays L. Using Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Technology

A substrate-based production system is a simple and low-cost method for arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculum production. However, it is time-consuming and typically yields low numbers of AM fungal spores due to several factors affecting plant growth efficiency. Our study investigated the use of light-emitting diode (LED) technology to expedite AM fungal spore production in planta. We performed experiments with Rhizophagus irregularis inoculated in maize (Zea mays L.), contrasting LED light with greenhouse (GH) conditions. Our results exhibited a significant improvement in AM fungal colonization and spore production, as well as a reduction in the production period from 120 to 90 days under the LED light condition. This was achieved using a red-and-blue light ratio of 60:40 with a total light intensity of 300 µmol m−2 s−1. The LED light treatments improved maize growth by increasing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in shoots and roots, respectively. Our gene expression analyses revealed that in AMF-inoculated plants, genes related to photosynthesis were significantly upregulated under LED light compared to the GH condition. Moreover, LED increased the expression of marker genes linked to the AM fungi-related cell cycle, indicating enhanced AM fungal growth during symbiosis. These findings advance our comprehension of LED applications in agriculture, offering promising prospects for acceleration of AM fungal spore production.

Impact of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on nutrient uptake and the growth of <i>C. retusa<?i> and <i>S. occidentalis<?i> under phosphorus stress

This study investigates the influence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on the growth of Crotallaria retusa and Senna occidentalis under three phosphorus levels (low, medium, and high). Conducted in the experimental garden of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, the soil samples were collected from a degraded site at the Institute of Agricultural Research, sieved, and sterilized. Perforated buckets were filled with sterilized soil, and the trench method was employed for AMF application. Three phosphorus levels were tested, and seeds of C. retusa and S. occidentalis were planted in individual buckets. Daily watering and observations were carried out for twelve weeks, measuring seedling height, leaf length, width, and number of leaves. The results indicate that high phosphorus concentration (12g/bucket) constrains the growth of C. retusa, while medium concentration (6g/bucket) enhances shoot length, branches, and leaves. AMF inoculation significantly improves growth attributes, but reduced growth in C. retusa under high phosphorus suggests potential incompatibility between phosphorus and AMF. At week 6, medium phosphorus (6g/bucket) resulted in more leaves (122.17±37.61) than low and high levels. Lowest growth occurred at low phosphorus (0g/bucket). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improved overall growth, but high phosphorus hindered C. retusa growth due to potential incompatibility with AMF. Overall, the study highlights the complex interplay between AMF, phosphorus levels, and plant growth, offering insights into optimizing conditions for the cultivation of C. retusa and S. occidentalis.

Alone as effective as together: AMF and Trichoderma inoculation boost maize performance but differentially shape soil and rhizosphere microbiota

AbstractIntroductionInoculation of plants with beneficial microorganisms may improve plant performance yet suffers from efficacy variability. A solution might be the combined application of different inoculants as consortium. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of single or combined inoculation of Trichoderma harzianum, strain TGFG411, and a consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant growth, and native microbial communities (here bacteria/archaea, fungi and AMF) in root‐associated soil (RAS) and rhizosphere (RH), that is, soil loosely or tightly attached to the roots, respectively.Materials and MethodsA greenhouse experiment was carried out with non‐sterile agricultural soil and the model crop maize, which was single inoculated with either TGFG411 or AMF or received a combined inoculation of TGFG411 + AMF. Control plants received only water. Seven weeks after the second AMF inoculation, the plant growth promotion capacity of the inoculants was measured based on shoot and root parameters. Furthermore, RAS and RH microbiota (fungi including AMF, bacteria and archaea) were assessed via a combination of different cultivation‐dependent, microscopic and DNA‐based methods.ResultsAfter 7 weeks of maize growth, both single and combined inoculation of AMF and TGFG411 enhanced shoot dry weight and led to a significant reduction in root biomass. The TGFG411 strain successfully established in the soil. However, no definite evidence for the establishment of the inoculated AMF was found. Single or combined inoculation of TGFG411 and AMF modified the composition of total bacterial in the RH, whereas modulated total fungal communities in the RAS.ConclusionThe combined inoculation did not result in a significant improvement of plant performance compared with single inoculation likely due to optimal nutrient supply. However, samples receiving the combined inoculation exhibited a distinct modulation of the native RAS/RH microbiota, which may influence the inoculant efficacy under less favourable conditions.

Exogenous myristate promotes the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in tomato.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can establish symbiotic associations with the roots of most terrestrial plants, thereby improving the tolerance of the host plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although AMF cannot synthesize lipids de novo, they can obtain lipids from the root cells for their growth and development. A recent study reveals that AMF can directly take up myristate (C14:0 lipid) from the environment and produce a large amount of hyphae in asymbiotic status; however, the effect of environmental lipids on AM symbiosis is still unclear. In this study, we inoculated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) with AMF in an in vitro dual culture system and a sand culture system, and then applied exogenous myristate to the substrate, in order to explore the effect of exogenous lipids on the mycorrhizal colonization of AMF. We investigated the hyphae growth, development, and colonization of AMF, and examined the gene expression involved in phosphate transport, lipid biosynthesis, and transport. Results indicate that exogenous lipids significantly stimulated the growth and branching of hyphae, and significantly increased the number of hyphopodia and mycorrhizal colonization of AMF, with arbuscular abundance and intraradical spores or vesicles being the most promoted. In contrast, exogenous myristate decreased the growth range and host tropism of the germ tubes, and largely inhibited the exchange of nutrition between symbionts. As a result, exogenous myristate did not affect the plant growth. This study suggests that lipids promote mycorrhizal colonization by enhancing the growth and development of AMF hyphae and increasing their contact opportunities with plant roots. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that shows that lipids promote the colonization of AMF. Our study highlights the importance of better understanding the roles of environmental lipids in the establishment and maintenance of AM symbiosis and, thus, in agricultural production.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation of winter wheat in an intensive crop producing farm

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation represents a valid tool for improving crop yield, primarily in the case of extensive crop production. The conditions of intensive crop production inhibit the growth of AMF and decrease the plant root mycorrhization. To clarify the possibilities of AMF inoculation under intensive farm conditions, a two-year field experiment was set up. The effect of AMF inoculation and mineral fertilization (130 kg N ha-1, 78 kg P2 O5 ha-1, 60 kg K2 O ha-1) were investigated on the crop yield, crop P content and root mycorrhization of two modern winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The soil was Chernozem with calcareous precipitates (WRB classification: Calcic Chernozem). The AMF inoculum contained reproductive units of Rhizophagus irregularis and Glomus mosseae. The whole experimental area was 32 ha and cultivated according to the usual intensive crop production of the farm. Both AMF inoculation and mineral fertilizer treatment had a significant effect on crop yield and root mycorrhization. The yield-enhancing effect of AMF inoculation was only observed in plots without mineral fertilizer and depended on the interaction of the year and the cultivar. AMF inoculation did not affect the P content of the crop. In the dry year the effect of AMF inoculation was cultivar dependent. AMF inoculation increases the yield to a smaller extent than the mineral fertilization. Our results show that AMF inoculation without fertilization can be profitable under intensive farming conditions.

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Robinia pseudoacacia L. Growing on Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been shown to assist plants in increasing metal tolerance and accumulation in heavy metal (HM)-contaminated soils. Herein, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to assess the interactions of growth substrates (S1, S2, and S3, respectively) with various HM contamination and nutrient status sampling from a typical contaminated soil and tailings in Shuikoushan lead/zinc mining in Hunan province, China, and AMF inoculation obtained from plants in uncontaminated areas (Glomus mosseae, Glomus intraradices, and uninoculated, respectively) on the biomass and uptake of HMs and phosphorus (P) by the black locust plant (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). The results indicated that the inoculation with AMF significantly enhanced the mycorrhizal colonization of plant roots compared with the uninoculated treatments, and the colonization rates were found to be higher in S1 and S2 compared with S3, which were characterized with a higher nutrient availability and lead concentration. The biomass and heights of R. pseudoacacia were significantly increased by AMF inoculation in S1 and S2. Furthermore, AMF significantly increased the HM concentrations of the roots in S1 and S2 but decreased the HM concentrations in S3. Shoot HM concentrations varied in response to different AMF species and substrate types. Mycorrhizal colonization was found to be highly correlated with plant P concentrations and biomass in S1 and S2, but not in S3. Moreover, plant biomass was also significantly correlated with plant P concentrations in S1 and S2. Overall, these findings demonstrate the interactions of AMF inoculation and growth substrates on the phytoremediation potential of R. pseudoacacia and highlights the need to select optimal AMF isolates for their use in specific substrates for the remediation of HM-contaminated soil.

Increased copper concentrations in soil affect indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and physiology of grapevine plantlets

Continuous use of fungicides in vineyards leads to soil copper (Cu) accumulation, adversely affecting plants and soil organisms. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide adaptative mechanisms for plant survival and growth in environments with high Cu contents. Using a low-Cu soil from a young vineyard, we evaluated how increasing additions of this element (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg kg-1) affected the AMF community and growth and physiology of grapevine (Vitis berlandieri x Vitis rupestris) rootstock, in greenhouse conditions. Mycorrhizal colonization and AMF richness decreased linearly with increased soil Cu additions. Stomatal conductance and transpiration increased with Cu additions, affecting plant growth. Increasing Cu additions to the soil decreased mycorrhizal root colonization and diversity, with no adverse effects on grapevines.

Elevated CO2 and temperature increase arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity, but decrease root colonization, in maize and wheat

Anthropogenic climate change threatens ecosystem multifunctionality. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important symbionts that participate in mediating many ecosystem processes, and thus being potentially essential link in the chain of responses to climate change. Yet, how climate change affect the abundance and community structure of AM fungi associated with different crops remains elusive. Here, we investigated the changes in rhizosphere AM fungal communities and growth performance of maize and wheat grown in Mollisols under experimentally elevated CO2 (eCO2, +300 ppm), temperature (eT, +2 °C) and both in-combination (eCT) with open-top chambers, representing a scenario likely to occur by this century's end. The results showed that eCT significantly shifted AM fungal communities in both rhizospheres compared with control, but with no remarkable variation of the overall communities in maize rhizosphere, suggesting their greater resistance to climate change. Both eCO2 and eT increased rhizosphere AM fungal diversity, and conversely they reduced mycorrhizal colonization of both crops, probably since AM fungi had distinct adaptive strategies to climate change in rhizospheres (i.e., r-strategy) and roots (K-strategy), while the colonization intensity positively correlated with a decreased phosphorus (P)-uptake in two crops. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis showed that eCO2 strongly decreased the modularity and betweenness centrality of network structure than that of eT and eCT in both rhizospheres, along with the reduced network robustness, implied their destabilized communities under eCO2, while root stoichiometry (C:N and C:P ratio) was the most important factor associating with taxa in networks regardless of climate change. Overall, those findings suggest that rhizosphere AM fungal communities in wheat appear to be more sensitive to climate change than that in maize, further highlighting the importance of effective monitoring and managing AM fungi, which may allow crops to maintain critical levels of mineral nutrients (at least P) under future global change.

Drought Changes the Trade-Off Strategy of Root and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Growth in a Subtropical Chinese Fir Plantation

As a consequence of changing global rainfall patterns, frequent extreme droughts will significantly affect plant growth and ecosystem functions. Fine roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) both facilitate Chinese fir nutrient uptake. However, how the growth of fine roots and AMF is regulated for the Chinese fir under drought conditions is unclear. This study used a precipitation reduction treatment (−50% throughfall) to study the seasonal effects of drought on a subtropical Chinese fir plantation. The effects measured included the fine root production, root diameter, specific root length, specific surface area, root tissue density, mycorrhizal hyphal density, spore number, mycorrhizal infection rate and total glomalin. Drought had no significant effect on Chinese fir fine root production but decreased the diameter and tissue density of primary and secondary roots while increasing the specific surface area of secondary roots. Additionally, drought significantly decreased the arbuscular mycorrhizal infection rate and significantly increased hyphal density. The results showed that drought caused the decrease in root diameter, which decreased the surface area available for AMF infection and led to the increase in mycorrhizal hyphal density. Redundancy analyses showed that soil-dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen were the key factors affecting AMF. Our results show that drought could enhance the cooperative strategy of nutrient and moisture absorption by roots and mycorrhizae of the Chinese fir, improving the resistance of Chinese fir growth to drought.

Belowground crop responses to root herbivory are associated with the community structure of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

There is growing interest in managing arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in agriculture to support plant production. These fungi can support crop growth and nutrient uptake, but also affect plant-herbivore interactions. While our understanding of how AM fungi affect plant responses to herbivory advances, it is less clear how different naturally-occurring (native) fungal communities differentially influence crop responses to root-feeding insects.To explore this, plants (Sorghum bicolor) were grown in a glasshouse experiment without AM fungi (‘no AM fungi’) or with one of three natural soil inocula sourced either from a sclerophyll forest (‘forest inoculum’), a cropped field (‘field inoculum’), or a field in fallow (‘fallow inoculum’), while half the plants were subjected to a root herbivore (Dermolepida albohirtum). We assessed the effects of soil inoculum and root herbivory on root-colonising AM fungal diversity, plant growth, and nutrient content.Root herbivory did not affect AM fungal diversity or composition. Plants grown with the field or fallow inocula were both dominated by the genera Glomus and Claroideoglomus. These plants exhibited reduced biomass in response to inoculation, but were not impacted by root herbivory. In contrast, plants with the forest inoculum had AM fungal communities dominated by Paraglomus and Ambispora. When subjected to root herbivory, the forest inoculated plants and plants without AM fungi exhibited reductions of 44 % and 61 % in root biomass, and reductions of 65 % and 59 % in root phosphorus, respectively.Our study shows inoculation-driven plant responses to root herbivory that were associated with the community structure of their root-colonising AM fungi. Results suggest associations with communities dominated by Claroideoglomus and Glomus may mitigate the impacts of a root-feeding insect. More exploration of how natural assemblages of AM fungi mediate plant-herbivore interactions is needed if we are to effectively manage soil fungi in agriculture.

The effect of biochar on mycorrhizal fungi mediated nutrient uptake by coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) seedlings grown on a Sandy Regosol

Biochar amendment of soil may ameliorate inherently infertile soils, such as in the typical coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) growth areas along tropical coasts, where, moreover, temporary moisture stress commonly occurs. We conducted a pot experiment to evaluate the effects of biochar soil amendment (1% w/w) produced from Gliricidia sepium stems (BC-Gly) and rice husks (BC-RiH) on the growth of coconut seedlings and on N and P uptake mediated by mycorrhizae under wet or dry conditions in a Sandy Regosol. The pots were divided into root and hyphal zones by a nylon mesh, where 15N labelled N and P nutrients were only provided in the hyphal zone. Under wet conditions, biochar application did not affect plant growth, while under dry conditions, the BC-Gly increased root and plant growth similar to that under wet conditions. BC-Gly increased the acidic pH of the soil to a neutral level, and the microbial community shifted towards a higher fungal abundance. The P accumulated (Pacc) in roots was higher with BC-Gly and BC-RiH under dry and wet conditions, respectively. Pacc weakly correlated with the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the hyphal zone. With BC-Gly roots showed lower N derived from fertilizer. We conclude that biochar application has no impact on crop growth under wet conditions, while under dry conditions, BC-Gly stimulates crop growth and P uptake, probably through liming induced P availability but also possibly by some enhancement of AMF growth. The shift in the fungal-oriented microbial community and reduced plant fertilizer N uptake suggested that BC-Gly acted as an additional N source.Graphical

Allelopathic Effects of Foliar Epichloë Endophytes on Belowground Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Meta-Analysis

Many grasses are simultaneously symbiotic with Epichloë fungal endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Epichloë endophytes are a group of filamentous fungi that colonize and grow within aerial plant tissues, such as leaves and stems. Infection and hyphal growth of Epichloë endophytes confer fitness advantages to the host plants. In addition to producing fungal alkaloids and altering host metabolic/genetic profiles, it is proven that symbiosis of plants with root/foliar endophytes affects the plant–soil relationship. We propose that the Epichloë presence/infection results in variations of soil and root AMF through allelopathic effects. We performed a meta-analysis that integrated the allelopathic effects of Epichloë endophytes on grass–AMF development. In the pre-symbiotic phase of grass–AMF symbiosis, root exudation from Epichloë-infected plants positively affected AMF growth, whereas the shoot exudates of Epichloë-infected plants inhibited AMF growth. In the symbiotic phase of grass–AMF symbiosis, the Epichloë infection was found to reduce root mycorrhizal colonization in plants. No pattern in the response of soil AMF to Epichloë presence was found. This study should improve our understanding of the impact of Epichloë endophytes on belowground microbial symbionts within the same host plant. Grass–Epichloë–AMF symbiosis may become an important model for studying above–belowground interactions.

Effect of Short-Term Phosphorus Supply on Rhizosphere Microbial Community of Tea Plants

Microbes play an important role in rhizosphere phosphorus (P) activation and root P absorption in low P-available soils. However, the responses of the rhizosphere microbial community to P input and its effects on P uptake by tea plants have not been widely reported. In this study, the high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the ITS2 region was employed to examine the responses of tea rhizosphere microbiomes to different P input rates (low-P, P0: 0 mg·kg−1 P; moderate-P, P1: 87.3 mg·kg−1 P; high-P, P2: 436.5 mg·kg−1 P). The results showed that the P input treatments significantly reduced the soil C: N ratio and C: P ratio compared to the P0 treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, the P2 treatment significantly increased the soil available P, plant biomass and P content of the tea plant compared to the P0 and P1 treatments (p < 0.05). Both bacterial and fungal communities revealed the highest values of alpha diversity indices in the P1 treatment and the lowest in the P2 treatment. The dominant phyla of the bacterial community were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria, while in the fungal community they were Ascomycota and Mortierellomycota. In addition, P input enriched the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria but decreased the relative abundance of Acidobacteria. The Mantel correlation analysis showed that the fungal community was influenced by P input, whereas bacterial community was affected by the soil TC and C: N ratio. Furthermore, the P input treatments enhanced the TCA cycle, amino and nucleotide glucose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and phosphotransferase system expression, which could promote C and N cycling. On the contrary, the P input treatments negatively affected the growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The PLS-PM model revealed that the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities, respectively, negatively and positively affected the P content by affecting the biomass. Meanwhile, rhizosphere microbial function profiles affected the P content of tea plants directly and positively. In summary, moderate P input favors the rhizosphere microbial diversity and functions in the short-term pot experiment. Therefore, we suggest that moderate P input should be recommended in practical tea production, and a further field test is required.

Rhizophagus irregularis enhances tolerance to cadmium stress by altering host plant hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) photosynthetic properties

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widespread and specialized soil symbiotic fungi, and the establishment of their symbiotic system is of great importance for adversity adaptation. To reveal the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of AMF–crop symbionts in response to heavy metal stress, this experiment investigated the effects of Rhizophagus irregularis (Ri) inoculation on the growth, photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) at a Cd concentration of 80 mg/kg. The results showed that (1) under Cd stress, the biomass of each plant structure in the Ri treatment was significantly higher than that in the noninoculation treatment (P < 0.05); (2) under Cd stress, the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, PSII efficiency, apparent electron transport rate and photochemical quenching coefficient of the Ri inoculation group reached a maximum, with increases ranging from 1% to 28%; (3) inoculation of Ri significantly reduced Cd enrichment in leaves, which in turn significantly increased the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, electron transfer rate, net photosynthetic rate and photosynthetic intensity, protecting PSII (P < 0.05); and (4) by measuring the light response curves of different treatments, the light saturation points of hemp inoculated with the Ri treatment reached 1448.4 μmol/m2/s, and the optical compensation point reached 24.0 μmol/m2/s under Cd stress. The Ri–hemp symbiont demonstrated high adaptability to weak light and high utilization efficiency of strong light under Cd stress. Our study showed that Ri–hemp symbiosis improves adaptation to Cd stress and promotes plant growth by regulating the photosynthetic gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of plants. The Ri–hemp symbiosis is a promising technology for improving the productivity of Cd-contaminated soil.

Impact of the Cultivation System and Plant Cultivar on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. Spelta L.) in a Short-Term Monoculture.

Native communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) constitute a natural biofertilization, biocontrol, and bioprotection factor for most agricultural crops, including cereals. The present study investigated the native AMF population in cultivated spelt, i.e., a cereal that has not been analyzed in this respect to date. In particular, the aim of the study was to determine the number of spores and the degree of AMF root colonization in two spelt cultivars (Franckenkorn and Badengold) from a 3-year monoculture grown in two different cultivation systems: conventional tillage and no-tillage systems. The study showed considerable accumulation of AMF spores in the soil (on average 1325 in 100 g of air-dry soil), with a wide range of their numbers, and not a very high degree of endomycorrhizal colonization (on average from 3.0% to 31%). The intensity of AMF growth in the subsequent cultivation years gradually increased and depended on the cultivation system as well as the growth stage and cultivar of the spelt. It was found that both analyzed AMF growth indices in the no-tillage system were positively correlated with each other. Moreover, their values were higher in the no-tillage system than in the conventional system, with statistical significance only for the number of spores. This was mainly observed in the variant with the Franckenkorn cultivar. The effect of the growing season was evident in both cultivation systems and spelt cultivars. It was reflected by intensification of sporulation and mycorrhization of spelt roots by AMF in summer (maturation stage) compared with the spring period (flowering stage).

Inhibition of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi induced increases in cadmium loss via surface runoff and interflow from farmland

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can form symbiotic relationships with most crops, but their impact on the environmental migration of cadmium (Cd) in farmland is limited. A field experiment was performed in the rainy season (May–October) for two years in Cd-polluted farmland used for maize cultivation. A fungicide (benomyl) was used to specifically inhibit native AMF growth in the farmland. The growth and Cd uptake of maize and the Cd concentration and loss in runoff and interflow were investigated. Benomyl strongly and significantly inhibited AMF colonization rate in maize roots, reduced the contents of total and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) in soil and the Cd uptake in maize roots, and increased the Cd uptake in shoots. Particulate Cd was the main form of Cd loss in runoff, while dissolved Cd was the main form of Cd leaching loss at depths of 20 cm and 40 cm. Inhibiting AMF increased the Cd concentration in runoff and interflow and promoted dissolved Cd loss in runoff and interflow at 20 cm depth by 34.7% and 68.0% and particulate Cd loss by 46.4% and 19.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the AMF colonization rate in maize roots and the GRSP content in soil were significantly positively correlated with Cd uptake in roots and negatively correlated with the concentration and loss of Cd in runoff and interflow. These results indicated that the benomyl-induced inhibition of native AMF promoted Cd transfer to maize shoots and increased Cd loss via runoff and interflow from polluted farmland.

Elucidating the dialogue between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and polyamines in plants.

The most dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiont can be established on roots of most terrestrial plants by beneficial AM fungi. A type of polycationic and aliphatic compounds, polyamines (PAs), are involved in plant physiological activities including stress responses. Interestingly, small amounts of PAs such as putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd) were found in AM fungal spores, and they are considered to be a component involved in mycorrhizal development, including mycorrhizal colonization, appressoria formation, spore germination and mycelial growth. Thus, PAs are regulatory factors in plant-AM symbiosis. Inoculation of AM fungi also affects the metabolism of endogenous PAs in host plants, including PAs synthesis and catabolism, thus, regulating various physiological events of the host. As a result, there seems to be a dialogue between PAs and AM fungi. Existing knowledge makes us understand that endogenous or exogenous PAs are an important regulator factor in the growth of AM fungi, as well as a key substance to colonize roots, which further enhances mycorrhizal benefits in plant growth responses and root architecture. The presence of AM symbiosis in roots alters the dynamic balance of endogenous PAs, triggering osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense systems, maintaining charge balance and acting as a stress signalling molecule, which affects various physiological activities, such as plant growth, nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance and improvement of root architecture. This review mainly elucidated (i) what is the role of fungal endogenous PAs in fungal growth and colonization of roots in host plants? (ii) how AM fungi and PAs interact with each other to alter the growth of fungi and plants and subsequent activities, providing the reference for the future combined use of AM fungi and PAs in agricultural production, although there are still many unknown events in the dialogue.

Suppression of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased lead uptake in maize leaves and loss via surface runoff and interflow from polluted farmland

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous in farmland. But the knowledge on AMF impact on lead (Pb) migration in farmland is limited. A field experiment was conducted in the rainy season (May–October) for two years in a Pb-polluted farmland. Benomyl was used to specifically suppress the native AMF growth in the farmland. The effect of benomyl-induced AMF suppression on the Pb uptake in maize, and Pb loss via surface runoff and interflows (20 cm and 40 cm depth) from the farmland was investigated. The benomyl significantly inhibited the AMF growth, resulting in decreases in the colonization rate, spore number, and contents of total and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP); and promoted the Pb migration into maize shoots and mainly enriched in leaves. The particulate Pb accounted for 83.2%–90.6% of Pb loss via surface runoff, while the proportion of particulate Pb loss via interflow was decreased and the proportion of dissolved Pb loss increased with the increase of soil depth. The AMF suppression led to a decrease in dissolved Pb concentration and loss, but an increase in particulate Pb concentration and loss, and enhanced the total Pb loss via surface runoff and interflows. Moreover, significant or very significant negative correlations were observed between the AMF colonization rate in roots with the Pb uptake in leaves, and the content of easily extractable GRSP with the particulate Pb loss. These results indicated the native AMF contributed to immobilizing Pb in soil and inhibited its migration to crops and the surrounding environment.

The Interactions between Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Trichoderma longibrachiatum Enhance Maize Growth and Modulate Root Metabolome under Increasing Soil Salinity.

Trichoderma longibrachiatum sp. are free-living filamentous fungi which are common in agro-ecosystems. However, few studies thus far have examined the interaction between Trichoderma longibrachiatum and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in saline soil and their potential for improving plant stress tolerance. Here, single, dual-inoculated (T. longibrachiatum MF, AM fungal community or Glomus sp.), and non-inoculated maize (Zea may L.) were subjected to different salinity levels (0, 75, 150, and 225 mM NaCl) to test the synergistic effects of dual inoculants on maize plants in different salt stress conditions. Plant performance and metabolic profiles were compared to find the molecular mechanisms underlying plant protection against salt stress. The first experiment revealed that dual inoculation of an AM fungal community and T. longibrachiatum MF improved the biomass and K+/Na+ ratio in maize under non-saline conditions, and generally enhanced AM fungal growth in root and soil under all but the 225 mM NaCl conditions. However, MF inoculant did not influence the structure of AM fungal communities in maize roots. In the second experiment, dual inoculation of Glomus sp. and T. longibrachiatum MF increased maize plant biomass, K+/Na+ ratio, and AM fungal growth in root and soil significantly at both 0 and 75 mM NaCl conditions. We identified metabolic compounds differentially accumulated in dual-inoculated maize that may underline their enhanced maize plant tolerance to increasing soil salinity. Our data suggested that the combination of Glomus sp. and T. longibrachiatum leads to interactions, which may play a potential role in alleviating the stress and improve crop productivity in salt-affected soils.