Root Spore Research Articles

Role of ectomycorrhizal colonization in enhancement of nutrients for survival of plants collected from mountainous cold stress areas

BackgroundEctomycorrhizal (ECM and ECM-like) structures associated with plant root systems are a challenge for scientists. The dispersion pattern of roots within the soil profile and the nutritional conditions are both favourable factors to motivate the plants to make ECM associations.ResultsThis study discusses the colonization of mycorrhizal associations in Kobresia and Polygonum species including Polygonum viviparum, Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, Alnus nitida, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, and Trifolium repens grown naturally in cold stressed soils of Gilgit-Baltistan (high-altitude alpine Deosai plains), Hazara, Swat, Dir, and Bajaur. Sieved soil batches were exposed to +5 °C (control), -10, -20, -30, -40, -50, -125 °C for 5 h, and selected plants were sown to these soils for 10 weeks under favourable conditions for ECM colonization. Ectomycorrhizal associations were examined in the above mentioned plants. Some ECM fungi have dark mycelia that look like the mantle and Hartig net. Examples of these are Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, and Polygonum viviparum. Findings of this study revealed that K. myosuroides excelled in ECM root tip length, dry mass, and NH4 concentration at -125 °C. Contrarily, A. nitida demonstrated the lower values, indicated its minimum tolerance. Notably, T. repens boasted the highest nitrogen concentration (18.7 ± 1.31 mg/g), while P. sylvestris led in phosphorus (3.2 ± 0.22 mg/g). The B. pendula showed the highest potassium concentration (9.4 ± 0.66 mg/g), emphasising species-specific nutrient uptake capabilities in extreme cold conditions. The PCA analysis revealed that the parameters, e.g., NH4 in soil mix (NH4), NO3 in soil mix (NO3), phosphorus in soil in species of Polygonum viviparum, Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, Alnus nitida, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, and Trifolium repens are most accurately represented in cases of + 5 °C, -10 °C, and -20 °C temperatures. On the other hand, the parameters for ECM root tips (ECM) and Dry Mass (DM) are best described in -40 °C, -50 °C, and − 125 °C temperatures. All parameters have a strong influence on the variability of the system indicated the efficiency of ECM. The heatmap supported the nutrients positively correlated with ECM colonization with the host plants.ConclusionAt lower temperatures, hyphae and spores in roots were reduced, while soluble phosphorus concentrations of leaves were increased in cold stress soils. Maximum foliar nutrient concentrations were found in K. myosuroides at the lowest temperature treatments due to efficient functioning and colonization of ECM.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Consortia in Six Vegetable Crops in the Tepeaca Valley, Puebla, Mexico

The objectives of this work were to search for and evaluate arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in six crops of agricultural importance in the horticultural region of Tepeaca valley, Puebla, Mexico, where Cambisols type soil predominates since the communities and consortia of AMF and their functionality in various crops of economic importance in Mexico are still unknown. The search for and identification of AMF spores was carried out in dif ferent vegetable crops. Five subsamples were collected from 6 dif ferent crop fields with vegetables (cilantro, cabbage, spinach, parsley, lettuce, and pumpkin); each subsample consisted of soil and roots. Roots 5 mm long were selected and stained using the Phillips-Hayman technique. Spore extractions and physicochemical determinations (soil texture, pH, relative humidity (RH), and electrical conductivity (EC)) were performed from soil. The results obtained from staining showed vesicles and spores in roots except in the pumpkin subsamples; of spore extractions from the soil of the six crops, 9 genera and 14 morphotypes of mycorrhizae were found, highlighting Funneliformis mosseae, Claroideoglomus Claroideum, and Glomus sp. as dominant species. By soil physicochemical characterizations were found: sandy texture, pH between 5.8 to 6.8; RH of 9.4 to 13%, and EC of 0.10 to 0.93 mS cm-1. In conclusion, the analyses of similarity and main components suggested that species of vegetables and soil conditions do not af fect the spore abundance, but they do af fect the richness and composition of AMF species, observing particular mycorrhizal consortia for each crop; therefore, it is suggested to evaluate their ef fectiveness in each of the crops to promote them as biofertilizer in the agricultural region of Tepeaca valley, Puebla, Mexico.

Arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal root colonisation and plant nutrition in soils exposed to freezing temperatures

Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are adapted to soils with higher pH, less organic matter and more available nitrogen than ectomycorrhizas (EM). We hypothesise that also climatic factors have a direct role in the relative success of the two types. We tested their colonisation rates after soil freezing. Soil was taken from forest and meadow sites to comprise propagules of both types of mycorrhizal fungi. The soil was sieved (6 mm) and mixed. Soil batches were exposed to +5 °C (control), −12, −25, −48 or −130 °C, time at target temperature was 6 h. Silver birch (Betula pendula), grey alder (Alnus incana) and white clover (Trifolium repens) were sown to these soils and grown in favourable conditions for 11 weeks. EM colonisation in birch and alder was similar in all treatments. Arbuscule formation in alder and clover was not affected, but vesicles, AM fungal hyphae and spores in roots were reduced with decreasing temperature. Soil soluble phosphorus (P) was increased by freezing as were also the foliar concentrations in birch. By contrast, clover had less foliar P in the lowest temperature treatments which may be due to less efficient functioning of AM. To conclude, the development and function of AM were impaired to some extent by very low temperatures, while EM were not affected. The low-temperature tolerance of EM may be another explanation to their predominance in cold climates.

Fatty Acid methyl ester profiles for characterization of glomalean fungi and their endomycorrhizae

Arbuscule-forming fungi in the order Glomales form obligate endomycorrhizal associations with plants that make them difficult to quantify, and taxonomy of the group is only beginning to be objectively understood. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles were analyzed to assess the diversity and quantity of fatty acids in 53 isolates of 24 glomalean species. Spores and endomycorrhizal roots of sudan grass (Sorghum sudanense) and the citrus rootstock Carrizo citrange (Poncirus trifoliata x Citrus sinensis) were examined. Spores yielded reproducible FAME profiles from replicate spore collections extracted from soil pot cultures despite being grown in association with a host plant and with contaminating microorganisms present. Unweighted pair group analysis revealed relatively tight clusters of groups at the intraspecific, specific, and generic levels; however, lipid profiles at the family level were convergent. Thus, FAME profile comparisons provided a robust measure of similarity below the family level. FAME profiles in sudan grass roots containing vesicles and/or spores of Glomus intraradices were more similar to spore profiles than to profiles from nonmycorrhizal roots. The FAME profiles for Gigaspora species, which do not form vesicles or spores in roots, were less distinct from nonmycorrhizal roots. G. intraradices and G. rosea produced fatty acids in roots that were distinguishable from each other as well as from the host root. Production in citrus roots of the fatty acid 16:1(inf(omega)5) cis by two Glomus species was correlated with the development of mycorrhizal colonization as measured by clearing and staining procedures and by estimates of total incidence and vesicle intensity. FAME analysis of roots not only provided a measure of colonization development but also served as an index of carbon allocated to intraradical fungal growth and lipid storage.

A new method to quantify the inoculum potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Previously described concepts of inoculum potential (IP) and methods to measure the IP of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are reviewed. The concept of IP is elusive and needs developing- A new definition of IP is described here us the number of viable fungal propagules and structures coupled with their initial infectivity, and the IP can be calculated from the formula IP =(N × H × K)+S or IP = (N × L) +S, where N= numbers of vesicles in roots and points of hyphae connected with the roots per unit length of the roots; W= root weight; K= root length per unit weight of the roots; L= root length: S= numbers of viable spores in an inoculum. For the AMF that product spores in roots, few spores, or no spares, the formula becomes IP =N × W × K = N × L. The parameter of the IP is therefore the total numbers of vesicles and/or spores in roots, points of hyphae connected with roots, and viable spores in an inoculum of any type. The correlation coefficients between the IP of the inoculum of Glamus Mossear (Nicol. &Gerd.) Gerdemann &Trappe, Glomus versiforme (Karsten) Berth,or Sclerocystis sinuosa Gerdemann &Bakhi and the amount of early stage infection produced by the corresponding were all > 0.93 (P < 0.01)on three host plants. Gassypium hirsutum L., or Sarghum Sudanense L., It is suggested that the IP should be easily and rapidly estimated with accuracy by the present method.