Utilization Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Research Articles

AMF inhibit the production of phenolic acid autotoxins at the seed-filling stage in soybeans with continuous monocropping

BackgroundSoybean is the main oil crop in Northeast China. Continuous monocropping is more commonly used for soybean production due to rising market demand and arable land constraints. However, autotoxic substances, such as phenolic acids, produced by continuously cropped soybean can reduce yield and quality. The mycorrhiza formed of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant roots regulate the metabolic activities of the host plant and increase its disease resistance. The main purpose of this study was to inhibit the production of phenolic acids and determine the adverse effects on the growth of continuous monocropping soybean by inoculating Funneliformis mosseae (F. mosseae).ResultsTranscriptomics results showed that the production of phenolic acids in continuous monocropping soybean roots was mainly regulated by the expression of the CHS6, PCL1, SAMT, SRG1, and ACO1 genes, and the expression of these genes was significantly downregulated after inoculation with F. mosseae. Metabolomics results showed that continuous monocropping soybean roots inoculated with F. mosseae inhibited phenolic acid production through the phenylpropane biosynthetic, α-linoleic acid, linoleic acid, and other metabolic pathways. Phenolic acids in the phenylpropane metabolic pathway, such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, phthalic acid, and vanillic acid, decreased significantly after inoculation with F. mosseae. The combined analysis of the two showed that genes such as YLS9 and ARF3 were positively correlated with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and so on, while genes such as CHS6 and SRG1 were negatively correlated with butyric acid and so on.ConclusionF. mosseae regulated the expression of functional genes and related phenolic acid metabolic pathways produced by continuous monocropping soybean roots, inhibiting the production of phenolic acid autotoxic substances in continuous cropped soybean, and slowing down the disturbance of continuous monocropping. This study provides a new solution for continuous monocropping of plants to overcome the autotoxicity barrier and provides a new basis for the development and utilization of AMF as a biological agent.

Relationship between phosphorus uptake via indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and crop response: A 32P-labeling study

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form potentially symbiotic associations with most crop species and potentially increase crop phosphorus (P) uptake in intensive cropping systems. Their widespread use, however, remains restrained by our limited understanding of the processes that determine the outcome of the associations. Here, we have used 32P to quantify the delivery of P to maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) via indigenous AM fungi in compartmented pots under high- and low-P conditions. Soil P level was important in driving shoot P uptake via the direct root pathway (DP) or the mycorrhizal pathway (MP). The MP contribution reached 81.8 and 75.8%, respectively, in maize and wheat at low P status but declined to 40.6 and 9.1% at high P. The abundance of intraradical and extraradical colonization and the relative abundance of Rhizophagus and shoot P utilization efficiency (PUE) significantly impacted the MP contribution. Larger mycorrhizal P and growth responses were closely related to a higher MP contribution and shoot PUE in maize but only P response was significantly related to the latter in wheat. These results suggest that crops can acquire considerable amounts of P via the MP with indigenous AM fungi, especially at low P levels, and highlight the importance of plant and AM fungal identity in regulating the relationship between hidden P uptake and symbiotic outcomes. Therefore, manipulation of fertilizer P application rates to optimize the abundance and assemblage of the indigenous AM fungi and crop PUE to increase MP activity and symbiotic outcomes may contribute to the efficient utilization of AM fungi in intensive cropping systems.

Aspects, problems and utilization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) application as bio-fertilizer in sustainable agriculture.

The rapid growth of human population on globe and reduction in agricultural land exerts huge pressure on crop productivity, food security and soil health; specially, in developing countries. Improper land management with excessive dependency on chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals to secure productivity tolls on human health, environment, biodiversity and sustainability. The utilization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as bio-fertilizer and in consortia with other beneficial microbes has become an increasing area of research in agriculture and life sciences. Former investigations revealed the positive influence of AM in nutrition, growth, yield of crops, soil quality increasing biological soil fertility and pathogen resistance. AMF symbionts are highly beneficial in plant abiotic stress tolerance. Along with other beneficial rhiozobacteria AM is almost substitute of chemical fertilizers in modern sustainable organic agricultural systems. But conventional agriculture in most countries is beyond to reach these benefits of AM. The issues which hinder the utilization also contradict to sustainability to some degrees. The present review highlights on the issues of hindrances in applicability of AM to the agricultural fields focusing on the mode of functions, maintaining soil and environmental sustainability; interactions with other biofertilizers and impact of various agrochemicals and agro-practices including tillage and crop rotation. The procedures to avail the full benefit of AM in agricultural field for sustainable system are discussed here.

The suppression effect and mechanism of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi against plant root rot.

Root rot is a serious soil-borne disease, with negative consequences on crop yield and quality. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are a group of soil microorganisms, which play important physiological and ecological functions by establishing symbionts with plant roots. AM fungi could induce plant resistance against root rot by regulating physiological and biochemical processes. As a biological agent, AM fungi are used to antagonize soil-borne diseases such as root rot, which is a hotspot in the field of plant-microorganism interaction. We comprehensively reviewed the suppression effect of AM fungi on plant root rot, and the effect of AM fungi on root morphology of host plant, plant nutrition levels, as well as their role in competing with pathogens for ecological sites, activating plant defense systems, and regulating root exudates. Finally, we discussed the potential mechanism of AM fungi inhibiting root rot, as well as the practical problems in the efficient utilization of AM fungi were discussed, in order to provide the theoretical basis for the biological control protocol to antagonize root rot with AM fungi.

Respon Pertumbuhan Tanaman Iler (Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth) pada Kondisi Cekaman Kekeringan terhadap Inokulasi Fungi Mikoriza Arbuskular (FMA)

Iler plant (Coleus artopurporeus L benth) is a plant that was originally cultivated as an ornamental plant and then developed as a medicinal plant because it contains flavonoids and anthocyanins. Drought stress is a major environmental problem that causes various changes in plant morphological, metabolic and physiological functions. Utilization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) is an effort to support the growth and development of iler plants in drought stress conditions. This study aims to determine the effect of AMF inoculation on the growth of iler plants under drought stress conditions, determine the optimal level of drought stress for ilher plant growth, and determine the best interaction between AMF inoculation and the level of drought stress on the growth of iler plants. The design used in this study was a completely randomized factorial 2-factor design. The first factor is AMF inoculation consisting of 2 levels, namely, without administration of AMF inoculum and AMF inoculum administration. The second factor is drought stress consists of 3 levels namely, 100% field capacity, 90% drought stress, and 45% drought stress. The results showed the effectiveness of the AMF inoculum test was able to increase the growth of iler plants based on parameters plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area, root length, root volume, root dry weight, number of spores and root infection. The optimal level of drought stress for iler plant growth is 90% drought stress, it is based on the parameters of plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area, root length, number of spores and root infection. There is the best interaction between AMF inoculation and 90% drought stress level on the growth of iler plants. These interactions can increase plant height, leaf area, number of spores and root infection.
 Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (FMA), drought stress, iler plants

Utilization of AMF and Essential Host Plants to Increase Growth of Sandalwood Seeds (Santalum album L.)

Sandalwood (Santalum album L.) is one of the native trees of Nusa Tenggara Timur Province because ithas high economic value and is the best endemic species in the world. The essential oil content in it has a very distinctive aroma and can be used to make various products such as handicrafts, wood carvings, incense, and oils for the perfume and cosmetics industry. Sandalwood is a semi parasitic plant whose life requires a host plant to obtain nutrients and water in the soil. There are many types of host plants that have been used, including casuarina equisetifolia, acacia mangium, sesbania grandiflora, alternanthera sp. and capsicum annum. In this research, sandalwood plants will be tested with the host plant Cymbopogon nardus, which from an economic point of view can provide benefits. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are a group of fungi from the phylum Glomeromycota which have mutualism symbiosis with higher plant root systems. AMF is able to survive on dry land. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of AMF and the use of essential host plants to increase the growth of Sandalwood seeds in Timor Tengah Utara. In the parameter of high increase, the results of the Duncan test showed that the highest AMF treatment for agroforestry land and host chili plants was 19.01, which was different from AMF for agroforestry land within a host plant, Cymbopogon nardus namely 15.44. In the increase in diameter, the results of the Duncan test showed that the AMF treatment of agroforestry land and host chili plants had a significant effect on all treatments, namely 9.11. Duncan test results on plant biomass parameters showed that AMF treatment and host plants chili and lemongrass gave good treatment, namely 3.54 and 3.53 on shoot dry weight parameters and 3.75 and 3.42 root dry weight compared to control, namely 0.27, while at root and shoot ratio seed quality index, the seeds are suitable for use because they comply with the standard. In the parameters of root colonization, AMF and the host plants of chili and lemongrass were both able to adapt well, namely 56.0 and 54.0.

Yield, Essential Oil and Quality Performances of Artemisia dracunculus, Hyssopus officinalis and Lavandula angustifolia as Affected by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi under Organic Management.

Utilization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for enhancing growth and development as well as production of essential oil in aromatic plants has been increasingly drawing research interest. In order to assess the AMF effects on different aromatic species, an open-field experiment was carried out using Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) and Hyssopus officinalis (hyssop). AMF stimulated the growth of tarragon and lavender plants, whereas hyssop showed a slight developmental slowing; nonetheless, a significant increase in essential oil content in the three species was seen. AMF application increased the biomass of A. dracunculus and H. officinalis by 20–35%. No differences in antioxidant activity and phenolics content were recorded at harvest between the control and AMF-inoculated plants, but the latter showed a significant increase in antioxidant status upon storage at high temperature and humidity compared to the untreated control. The enhancement of abiotic stress resistance during storage in plants inoculated with AMF was the highest in A. dracunculus, and the lowest in H. officinalis, while the untreated control plants showed a significant decrease in phenolics, ascorbic acid and chlorophyll content, as well as antioxidant activity, upon the abiotic stress. AMF inoculation differentially affected the mineral composition, increasing the accumulation of Se, I and Zn in A. dracunculus, and decreasing the levels of heavy metals and Co, Fe, Li, Mn in H. officinalis. Based on the outcome of the present research, AMF inoculation resulted in a significant enhancement of the overall performances of A. dracunculus, L. angustifolia and H. officinalis, and also in the improvement of plant antioxidant status upon storage in stress conditions.

PENINGKATAN EFISIENSI PENGGUNAAN LAHAN KELOMPOK TANI SUNGKAI PERMAI MELALUI TUMPANG SARI JAGUNG DAN KACANG TANAH DAN PENGENALAN CENDAWAN MIKORIZA ARBUSKULA (CMA)

The Sungkai Permai Lambung Bukik Farmer Group, Padang City, generally cultivates in monoculture, with limited productive land. The land is planted with rice, secondary crops such as corn, and some peanuts. In the past two years, corn farmers often experience crop failures, especially during the rainy season, where the sun shines less due to global climate change. Therefore, diversifying commodities on limited land so that land efficiency increases are significant to prepare the next source of seeds. To support increased land use efficiency, optimal soil conditions are needed. Utilization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi can improve soil fertility and is expected to become an alternative technology in plant cultivation. Science and technology activities based on the Study Program and the Assisted Nagari (IbPSNB) were carried out in groups of Permai Sungkai Farmers in the form of 1) Counseling on the pattern of corn-peanut intercropping cultivation, and how to make CMA spore cultures, 2). The demonstration plot for corn-peanut intercropping cultivation. Through this activity, farmers finally understood the benefits and patterns of corn-peanut intercropping. Farmers understand the role and method of making CMA spore cultures. Several farmers cultivated corn-peanut intercropping. Two farmers at the demonstration plot managed to harvest corn and peanuts at the same time. Other farmers have failed to harvest corn due to pest attacks but have succeeded in harvesting peanuts so that the losses experienced by farmers are reduced, and they still have stock of seeds for the next planting season.

UTILIZATION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN PRODUCTION OF ALLIUM SPECIES

The fundamental direction of modern agriculture development is elaboration and utilization of technologies that ensure environmental safety, high plant productivity and quality of crop production. In this connection, the issues of optimization of mineral nutrition and water supply, immunity enhancement and protection of plants against various forms of biotic and abiotic stresses without significant environmental stress are of current interest. Normal growth and development of almost all plants on the Earth depends on the presence of mycorrhizal fungi in the soil, which ensure optimal plant nutrition and water supply due to the huge number of hyphae. The review discusses the prospects for the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the cultivation of Allium species, as the most responsive plants to the effects of mycorrhizae due to the poorly developed root system that hinders the nutrition of plants. It is noted that utilization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may provide the reduction of the amount of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides needed for high productivity of crops. The review deals with the peculiarities of symbiotic interrelations of different species of mycorrhizal fungi (pure and mixed cultures, mainly of the genus Glomus) with different Allium species (onion, garlic, shallot, leek, A. roylei, A. fistulosum, A. galanthum). Questions of agricultural crops quality as affected by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungy are discussed. Data on the effect of climatic conditions on the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi utilization in Allium production are discussed. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of biofortification of Allium species with selenium via utilization of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi is noted, as well as an increase in the content of biologically active sulfur-containing compounds in garlic. Particular attention is paid to the necessity of the development of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi preparations in Russia – the country not using this ecologically friendly technology at present.

Influence of AM–fungi and applied phosphorus on growth indices, production efficiency, phosphorus–use efficiency and fruit–succulence in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)–pea (Pisum sativum) cropping system in an acid Alfisol

The current experiment was conducted at Palampur, India during 2009–11 in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)– pea (Pisum sativum L.) cropping system in RBD replicated thrice with 14 treatments comprising arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), applied–P (50, 75 and 100% recommended P dose) and irrigation regimes (40 and 80% available water holding capacity). At active growth period (50–100 DAS), AMF imbedded treatments exhibited 7 and 20% higher absolute growth rate (AGR) in okra and pea over non–AMF counterparts, while relative growth rate (RGR) both in okra and pea was not affected significantly by AMF application. Net assimilation rate (NAR) and crop growth rate (CGR) in okra were higher by 17 and 3%, respectively with AMF inoculation, though, effect on pea was inconspicuous. At both irrigation regimes, ‘AMF + 75% soil–test based P dose’ registered statistically similar okra fruit and pea pod yields as that obtained under ‘100% soil–test based P dose’, thus, indicating an economy of about 25% soil–test based P dose. AMF inoculated plants also showed nominally higher succulence level (moisture) in okra fruits and pea pods at their picking stages compared to their non–AMF counterparts, again demonstrating a positive impact of AMF on quantitative vegetable freshness and plant water relations as well. AMF significantly enhanced the various indices of P-use efficiency in both crops. The increase in partial factor productivity (PFP), crop recovery efficiency (CRE) and % recovery (PR) of applied–P in okra under AMF inoculation was 9, 36 and 20%, respectively over non–AMF counterparts. In pea, AMF inoculation exhibited respective increase of 12, 61 and 27% in PFP, CRE and PR of applied–P over non–AMF counterparts. Production and monetary efficiencies in okra–pea cropping system were also enhanced by AMF inoculation. Overall, utilization of AMF in okra–pea cropping system indicated an economy of about 25% in soil–test based applied–P dose besides improved plant growth. AMF also revealed a tremendous potential in enhancing P- use efficiency, which otherwise is very low in acid Alfisol. Further, AMF inoculation may lead to improved fruit succulence to fetch better prices in market.

Preface

Starting in 1988, several European COST Actions (810, 821 and 838) have focused on understanding the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in sustainable agriculture and natural ecosystems. The latest COST Action on AMF, Action 870 “From Production to Application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Agricultural Systems: a Multidisciplinary Research”, ran from February 2007 to February 2011 and a total of 26 European countries participated. A meeting of WG2 and WG3 was organized in 13-15 December 2010 by MTT Agrifood Research Finland and the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The meeting was held at the University of Jyväskylä. The general themes of the meeting were “Utilization of AMF in extreme stress conditions” (WG3) and “Quality control of AM fungal inoculum” (WG2). The role of AMF in arid, saline or heavy metal contaminated sites was discussed in several papers. Also the impact of temperature on AM function and possibilites of utilizing AMF in low- and high-input agricultural systems were discussed. Papers on the role of AMF in controlling biotic stress, i.e. plant diseases, of crops were also presented. This special issue of Agricultural and Food Science contains a selection of papers presented at the COST Action 870 meeting in Jyväskylä, December 2010.

Diversity and infectivity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agricultural soils of the Sichuan Province of mainland China

Knowledge about the presence and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in a specific area is an essential first step for utilizing these fungi in any application. The community composition of AMF in intensively managed agricultural soil in the Sichuan Province of southwest China currently is unknown. In one set of samples, AMF were trapped in pot cultures from 40 fields growing legumes in the Panxi region, southeast Sichuan. In a second set of samples, the MPN method with four-fold dilutions and maize as host was used to estimate infective propagules in soil from another 50 agricultural sites throughout the province. Soil types were heterogeneous and were classified as purple, yellow, paddy and red. Crops at each site were either maize, wheat or sweet orange. From this set of soil, AMF spores were also extracted and identified. Including all ninety soils, thirty glomeromycotan species in Glomus (20 species), Acaulospora (four species), Scutellospora (three species), Ambispora (one species), Archaeospora (one species) and Paraglomus (one species) were identified. Yellow, red and purple soils yielded similar numbers of AMF species, while AMF species diversity was clearly lower in paddy soil. In trap culture soils, the most frequent species were Glomus aggregatum or Glomus intraradices, Glomus claroideum and Glomus etunicatum. The species Acaulospora capsicula, Acaulospora delicata, G. aggregatum (or intraradices), G. claroideum, Glomus epigaeum, G. etunicatum, Glomus luteum, Glomus monosporum, Glomus mosseae and Glomus proliferum were successfully cultured as single-species pot cultures in Plantago lanceolata. The three most frequent species in field soils were G. mosseae, Glomus caledonium and Glomus constrictum. MPN values varied between 17 and 3334 propagules 100 g soil(-1) among the fifty field sites sampled. Regression analysis, including host&soil, log(P) and pH as explanatory variables explained 59% of the variation in log(MPN). The highest MPN estimates were found in purple soil cropped with maize and citrus, 324 and 278 propagules 100 g soil(-1), respectively. The lowest MPN value, 54 propagules 100 g soil(-1), was measured in wheat in purple and yellow soil. Despite intensive agricultural management that can include often repeated tillage, our examination of 90 agricultural sites revealed that soils of the Sichuan region have moderate to high numbers of infective AMF propagules as well as a high AMF species diversity. This opens possibilities for further studies and utilization of AMF in agriculture and horticulture in the Sichuan province, People's Republic of China.

Genetic processes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Glomeromycota) colonize roots of the majority of land plants and facilitate their mineral nutrient uptake. Consequently, AM fungi play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems and are becoming a component of sustainable land management practices. The absence of sexual reproductive structures in modern Glomeromycota combined with their long evolutionary history suggest that these fungi may represent an ancient asexual lineage of great potential interest to evolutionary biology. However, many aspects of basic AM fungal biology, including genome structure, within-individual genetic variation, and reproductive mode are poorly understood. These knowledge gaps hinder research on the mechanisms of AM fungal interactions with individual plants and plant communities, and utilization of AM fungi in agricultural practices. I present here the current state of research on the reproduction in AM fungi and indicate what new findings can be expected in the future.

Study on the Utilization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Kidney Bean Cultivation. Differences in kidney bean growth resulting from the infection of six species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Six species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were inoculated into kidney bean in low available phosphorus soil to clarify useful species in the cultivation of kidney bean. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi used in the experiment were Gigaspora ramisporophora, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus caledonium, Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus mosseae and Glomus sp. When 1000 spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were inoculated in 1/5000a pot, the infection rate was greater in plots with Glomus caledonium and Glomus mosseae in comparison with the other plots. The growth and grain yield of kidney bean were improved in all inoculated plots. The plots inoculated with Glomus caledonium and Glomus mosseae were enhanced in growth and grain yield more than the other inoculated plots were. The grain yields of the plots inoculated with 5000 spores of Glomus mosseae and the plot to which phosphorus was applied were not as much. From these facts, it was determined that, inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was useful for kidney bean cultivation in a low available phosphorus condition. Particularly, Glomus mosseae was the most useful species among the six species used.