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5 pages, 416 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi

by Raul S. Lavado and Viviana M. Chiocchio

Plants 2023, 12(8), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12081688 - 18 Apr 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1490

Abstract

It has long been known that plants and microorganisms coexist [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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13 pages, 1701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Native Microbes Amplify Native Seedling Establishment and Diversity While Inhibiting a Non-Native Grass

by Liz Koziol, Thomas P. McKenna and James D. Bever

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051184 - 6 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1919

Abstract

Although several studies have shown increased native plant establishment with native microbe soil amendments, few studies have investigated how microbes can alter seedling recruitment and establishment in the presence of a non-native competitor. In this study, the effect of microbial communities on seedling [...] Read more.

Although several studies have shown increased native plant establishment with native microbe soil amendments, few studies have investigated how microbes can alter seedling recruitment and establishment in the presence of a non-native competitor. In this study, the effect of microbial communities on seedling biomass and diversity was assessed by seeding pots with both native prairie seeds and a non-native grass that commonly invades US grassland restorations, Setaria faberi. Soil in the pots was inoculated with whole soil collections from ex-arable land, late successional arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi isolated from a nearby tallgrass prairie, with both prairie AM fungi and ex-arable whole soil, or with a sterile soil (control). We hypothesized (1) late successional plants would benefit from native AM fungi, (2) that non-native plants would outcompete native plants in ex-arable soils, and (3) early successional plants would be unresponsive to microbes. Overall, native plant abundance, late successional plant abundance, and total diversity were greatest in the native AM fungi+ ex-arable soil treatment. These increases led to decreased abundance of the non-native grass S. faberi. These results highlight the importance of late successional native microbes on native seed establishment and demonstrate that microbes can be harnessed to improve both plant community diversity and resistance to invasion during the nascent stages of restoration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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19 pages, 2537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement in the Phytochemical Content and Biological Properties of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni Plant Using Endophytic Fungi Fusarium fujikuroi

by Reema Devi, Ahmed Abdulhaq, Rachna Verma, Kiran Sharma, Dinesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Ashwani Tapwal, Rahul Yadav and Syam Mohan

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051151 - 3 Mar 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2388

Abstract

This study aimed to increase the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants through inoculation with endophytic fungi. As endophytes influence medicinal plants’ biological properties, twenty fungal strains were isolated from the medicinal plant Ocimum tenuiflorum. Among all fungal isolates, the R2 strain showed the [...] Read more.

This study aimed to increase the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants through inoculation with endophytic fungi. As endophytes influence medicinal plants’ biological properties, twenty fungal strains were isolated from the medicinal plant Ocimum tenuiflorum. Among all fungal isolates, the R2 strain showed the highest antagonistic activity towards plant pathogenic fungi Rosellinia necatrix and Fusarium oxysporum. The partial ITS region of the R2 strain was deposited in the GenBank nucleotide sequence databases under accession number ON652311 as Fusarium fujikuroi isolate R2 OS. To ascertain the impact of an endophytic fungus on the biological functions of medicinal plants, Stevia rebaudiana seeds were inoculated with Fusarium fujikuroi (ON652311). In the DPPH assay, the IC₅₀ value of the inoculated Stevia plant extracts (methanol, chloroform, and positive control) was 72.082 µg/mL, 85.78 µg/mL, and 18.86 µg/mL, respectively. In the FRAP assay, the IC₅₀ value of the inoculated Stevia extracts (methanol, chloroform extract, and positive control) was 97.064 µM Fe²⁺ equivalents, 117.662 µM Fe²⁺ equivalents, and 53.384 µM Fe²⁺ equivalents, respectively. In the extracts of the plant inoculated with endophytic fungus, rutin and syringic acid (polyphenols) concentrations were 20.8793 mg/L and 5.4389 mg/L, respectively, which were higher than in the control plant extracts. This approach can be further utilized for other medicinal plants to increase their phytochemical content and hence medicinal potential in a sustainable way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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19 pages, 2156 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cover Crops Modulate the Response of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Water Supply: A Field Study in Corn

by Micaela Tosi, Cameron M. Ogilvie, Federico N. Spagnoletti, Sarah Fournier, Ralph C. Martin and Kari E. Dunfield

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051015 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2187

Abstract

Cover crops (CCs) were found to improve soil health by increasing plant diversity and ground cover. They may also improve water supply for cash crops by reducing evaporation and increasing soil water storage capacity. However, their influence on plant-associated microbial communities, including symbiotic [...] Read more.

Cover crops (CCs) were found to improve soil health by increasing plant diversity and ground cover. They may also improve water supply for cash crops by reducing evaporation and increasing soil water storage capacity. However, their influence on plant-associated microbial communities, including symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), is less well understood. In a corn field trial, we studied the response of AMF to a four-species winter CC, relative to a no-CC control, as well as to two contrasting water supply levels (i.e., drought and irrigated). We measured AMF colonization of corn roots and used Illumina MiSeq sequencing to study the composition and diversity of soil AMF communities at two depths (i.e., 0–10 and 10–20 cm). In this trial, AMF colonization was high (61–97%), and soil AMF communities were represented by 249 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to 5 genera and 33 virtual taxa. Glomus, followed by Claroideoglomus and Diversispora (class Glomeromycetes), were the dominant genera. Our results showed interacting effects between CC treatments and water supply levels for most of the measured variables. The percentage of AMF colonization, arbuscules, and vesicles tended to be lower in irrigated than drought sites, with significant differences detected only under no-CC. Similarly, soil AMF phylogenetic composition was affected by water supply only in the no-CC treatment. Changes in the abundance of individual virtual taxa also showed strong interacting effects between CCs, irrigation, and sometimes soil depth, although CC effects were clearer than irrigation effects. An exception to these interactions was soil AMF evenness, which was higher in CC than no-CC, and higher under drought than irrigation. Soil AMF richness was not affected by the applied treatments. Our results suggest that CCs can affect the structure of soil AMF communities and modulate their response to water availability levels, although soil heterogeneity could influence the final outcome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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8 pages, 1055 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inoculation with Oidiodendron maius BP Improves Nitrogen Absorption from Fertilizer and Growth of Vaccinium corymbosum during the Early Nursery Stage

by María A. Pescie, Marcela Montecchia, Raul S. Lavado and Viviana M. Chiocchio

Plants 2023, 12(4), 792; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040792 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1913

Abstract

Blueberry roots are inefficient in taking up water and nutrients, a fact partially related to their scarcity of root hairs, but they improve nutrient uptake by associating with ericoid mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi. However, the benefits of this association are both cultivar- and [...] Read more.

Blueberry roots are inefficient in taking up water and nutrients, a fact partially related to their scarcity of root hairs, but they improve nutrient uptake by associating with ericoid mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi. However, the benefits of this association are both cultivar- and fungus-dependent. Our objective was to assess the effect of inoculation with three native fungal strains (Oidiodendron maius A, O. maius BP, and Acanthomyces lecanii BC) on plantlet growth, plantlet survival, and nitrogen (N) absorption of the southern highbush blueberry (SHB) cultivars Biloxi and Misty. The fungal strains were inoculated into the peat-based substrate for growing blueberry cultivars, and plantlets produced by micropropagation were transplanted and grown for four months. The three inoculated strains positively affected the survival percentage in at least one of the cultivars tested, whereas O. maius BP positively affected plant biomass, N derived from fertilizer absorption, N content, and plant N recovery (%) in both Biloxi and Misty. Our results show that the O. maius BP strain may prove useful as a bio-inoculant to improve blueberry production during the nursery stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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14 pages, 1420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana Induces Oxidative Stress and Enhances the Growth of Fusarium oxysporum-Infected Tomato Plants

by Felix Nchu, Neo Macuphe, Ilyaas Rhoda, Lee-Ann Niekerk, Gerhard Basson, Marshall Keyster and Ninon G. E. R. Etsassala

Plants 2022, 11(22), 3182; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223182 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2443

Abstract

Studying the mechanisms through which endophytic fungi confer protection to host plants against parasites will contribute toward elucidating the endophytic fungi–plant–pathogen relationship. In this study, we evaluated the effects of endophytic Beauveria bassiana on the antioxidant activity, oxidative stress, and growth of tomatoes [...] Read more.

Studying the mechanisms through which endophytic fungi confer protection to host plants against parasites will contribute toward elucidating the endophytic fungi–plant–pathogen relationship. In this study, we evaluated the effects of endophytic Beauveria bassiana on the antioxidant activity, oxidative stress, and growth of tomatoes infected with the fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). Tomato seedlings were inoculated with B. bassiana conidia and then contaminated with FOL experimentally. Four treatments (Control [T1], FOL only [T2], B. bassiana only [T3], and B. bassiana and FOL [T4]) were assessed. The plants from the B. bassiana and FOL treatment (T4) were significantly taller (DF = 3, 56; p < 0.001) and produced more leaves and aerial part biomass than those treated with only FOL (T2). Remarkably, plants in the two treatments with FOL (T2 and T4) had the lowest antioxidant activities; meanwhile, plants from the FOL treatment (T2) had the lowest ROS (superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) contents. Broadly, strong positive correlations between ROS and all the plant growth parameters were recorded in this study. While the current results revealed that the endophytic entomopathogen B. bassiana enhanced antioxidant capacity in plants, it did not improve the antioxidant capacity of F. oxysporum-infected plants. It is possible that the pathogenic FOL employed a hiding strategy to evade the host immune response and the antagonistic actions of endophytic B. bassiana. In conclusion, B. bassiana inoculum enhanced the growth of tomatoes infected with FOL, induced higher oxidative stress in both F. oxysporum-infected and -uninfected tomatoes, and improved antioxidant activities in plants inoculated with B. bassiana only. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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14 pages, 3588 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Intact Mycelium of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Soil Microbiome Functional Profile in Wheat under Mn Stress

by Taiana A. Conceição, Galdino Andrade and Isabel Brito

Plants 2022, 11(19), 2598; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192598 - 2 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1666

Abstract

In the current agronomic context, the adoption of alternative forms of soil management is essential to increase crop yield. Agricultural sustainability requires practices that generate positive impacts and promote an increase in microbiome diversity as a tool to overcome adverse environmental conditions. An [...] Read more.

In the current agronomic context, the adoption of alternative forms of soil management is essential to increase crop yield. Agricultural sustainability requires practices that generate positive impacts and promote an increase in microbiome diversity as a tool to overcome adverse environmental conditions. An important ally is the indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that can improve plant growth and provide protection against abiotic stress such as metal toxicity. In a greenhouse experiment, this work studied the effect of wheat growth on several parameters of biological activity and functional microbiome in relation to wheat antecedent plant mycotrophy and soil disturbance under Mn stress. When the wheat was planted after highly mycotrophic plants and the soil was not previously disturbed, the results showed a 60% increase in wheat arbuscular colonization and a 2.5-fold increase in dry weight along with higher values of photosynthetic parameters and dehydrogenase activity. Conversely, soil disturbance before wheat planting increased the β-glucosidase activity and the count of manganese oxidizers, irrespectively of antecedent plant, and decreased drastically the wheat dry weight, the AMF colonization and the chlorophyll content compared to the undisturbed treatment. These findings suggest that not only the wheat growth but also the soil functional microbiome associated is affected by the antecedent type of plant and previous soil disturbance imposed. In addition, the improvement in wheat dry weight despite Mn toxicity may rely on shifts in biological activity associated to a well-established and intact ERM early developed in the soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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19 pages, 3566 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Medicago lupulina Interaction with Rhizophagus irregularis in the Determination of Root Metabolome at Early Stages of AM Symbiosis

by Andrey P. Yurkov, Roman K. Puzanskiy, Alexey A. Kryukov, Anastasiia O. Gorbunova, Tatyana R. Kudriashova, Lidija M. Jacobi, Andrei P. Kozhemyakov, Daria A. Romanyuk, Ekaterina B. Aronova, Galina S. Avdeeva, Vladislav V. Yemelyanov, Alexey L. Shavarda and Maria F. Shishova

Plants 2022, 11(18), 2338; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11182338 - 7 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2064

Abstract

The nature of plant–fungi interaction at early stages of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) development is still a puzzling problem. To investigate the processes behind this interaction, we used the Medicago lupulina MlS-1 line that forms high-efficient AM symbiosis with Rhizophagus irregularis. AM fungus [...] Read more.

The nature of plant–fungi interaction at early stages of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) development is still a puzzling problem. To investigate the processes behind this interaction, we used the Medicago lupulina MlS-1 line that forms high-efficient AM symbiosis with Rhizophagus irregularis. AM fungus actively colonizes the root system of the host plant and contributes to the formation of effective AM as characterized by a high mycorrhizal growth response (MGR) in the host plant. The present study is aimed at distinguishing the alterations in the M. lupulina root metabolic profile as an indicative marker of effective symbiosis. We examined the root metabolome at the 14th and 24th day after sowing and inoculation (DAS) with low substrate phosphorus levels. A GS-MS analysis detected 316 metabolites. Results indicated that profiles of M. lupulina root metabolites differed from those in leaves previously detected. The roots contained fewer sugars and organic acids. Hence, compounds supporting the growth of mycorrhizal fungus (especially amino acids, specific lipids, and carbohydrates) accumulated, and their presence coincided with intensive development of AM structures. Mycorrhization determined the root metabolite profile to a greater extent than host plant development. The obtained data highlight the importance of active plant–fungi metabolic interaction at early stages of host plant development for the determination of symbiotic efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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12 pages, 1214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Commercial Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculants on Plant Productivity and Intra-Radical Colonization in Native Grassland: Unintentional De-Coupling of a Symbiosis?

by Eric B. Duell, Adam B. Cobb and Gail W. T. Wilson

Plants 2022, 11(17), 2276; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11172276 - 31 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4067

Abstract

There has been a surge in industries built on the production of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal-based inoculants in the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the positive effects of AM fungi on plant growth and nutritional status. However, there is growing [...] Read more.

There has been a surge in industries built on the production of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal-based inoculants in the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the positive effects of AM fungi on plant growth and nutritional status. However, there is growing concern regarding the quality and efficacy of commercial inoculants. To assess the potential benefits and negative consequences of commercial AM fungal inoculants in grasslands, we conducted a controlled growth chamber study assessing the productivity and AM fungal root colonization of nine grassland plant species grown in grassland soil with or without one of six commercial AM fungal products. Our research showed no evidence of benefit; commercial inoculants never increased native plant biomass, although several inoculants decreased the growth of native species and increased the growth of invasive plant species. In addition, two commercial products contained excessive levels of phosphorus or nitrogen and consistently reduced AM fungal root colonization, indicating an unintentional de-coupling of the symbiosis. As there is little knowledge of the ecological consequences of inoculation with commercial AM fungal products, it is critical for restoration practitioners, scientists, and native plant growers to assess the presence of local AM fungal communities before investing in unnecessary, or possibly detrimental, AM fungal products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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12 pages, 1336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aphids and Mycorrhizal Fungi Shape Maternal Effects in Senecio vulgaris

by Ruth P. Chitty and Alan C. Gange

Plants 2022, 11(16), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162150 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1300

Abstract

Plant performance in any one generation is affected not only by the prevailing environmental conditions, but also by the conditions experienced by the parental generation of those plants. These maternal effects have been recorded in a many plant species, but the influence of [...] Read more.

Plant performance in any one generation is affected not only by the prevailing environmental conditions, but also by the conditions experienced by the parental generation of those plants. These maternal effects have been recorded in a many plant species, but the influence of external biotic (as opposed to abiotic) factors on shaping maternal effects have been rarely examined. Furthermore, almost all previous studies have taken place over one plant generation, rather than across multiple generations. Here, we studied the influence of insect herbivory and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonisation on the shaping of maternal effects in the annual forb Senecio vulgaris. We grew plants with and without aphids (Myzus persicae) and AM fungi (hereafter termed ‘induction events’) over four successive generations, wherein seeds from plants in any one treatment were used to grow plants of the same treatment in the next generation, all in identical environmental conditions. We found strong evidence of maternal effects in the second plant generation, i.e., after one induction event. These plants took longer to germinate, flowered in a shorter time, produced lighter seeds and were shorter and of lower biomass than their parents. Aphid attack tended to enhance these effects, whereas AM fungi had little influence. However, thereafter there was a gradual recovery in these parameters, so that plants experiencing three inductions showed similar life history parameters to those in the original generation. We conclude that experiments investigating maternal effects need to be performed over multiple plant generations and that biotic factors such as insects and mycorrhizas must also be taken into account, along with abiotic factors, such as nutrient and water availability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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11 pages, 571 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Pests Management for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Influence of Cladosporium-Bioformulated Endophytic Fungi Application to Control Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

by Oussama A. Bensaci, Khamsa Rouabah, Toufik Aliat, Nadia Lombarkia, Vadim G. Plushikov, Dmitry E. Kucher, Petr A. Dokukin, Sulukhan K. Temirbekova and Nazih Y. Rebouh

Plants 2022, 11(15), 2055; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11152055 - 5 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1965

Abstract

The potato is a staple food crop worldwide and the need for this product has increased due to the burgeoning population. However, potato production is highly constrained by biotic stress interference, such as Myzus persicae Sulzer, which causes serious yield losses and thus [...] Read more.

The potato is a staple food crop worldwide and the need for this product has increased due to the burgeoning population. However, potato production is highly constrained by biotic stress interference, such as Myzus persicae Sulzer, which causes serious yield losses and thus minimizing production income. The current study aims to investigate the effect of different formulations prepared as an invert emulsion with different concentrations of fungal culture filtrates derived from three endophytic fungi (genus Cladosporium) against Myzus persicae. All formulations have demonstrated an aphicidal activity, which increases with the increasing concentration of fungal filtrates. Furthermore, it has been noted that chitinolytic activity recorded for 12 days is important in Cladosporium sp. BEL21 isolated from dwarf mistletoe Arceuthobium oxycedri. The study of demographic and embryonic parameters of aphids settled on potato plants previously treated with formulations revealed a significant reduction in the numbers of colonizing aphids and a relative increase in the numbers of winged adults, especially in plants treated with BEL21-derived emulsion. The pre-treatment of plants may interfere with and negatively influence embryonic development and early maturity of the embryo and thus affect the fertility of parthenogenetic aphids. BEL21-derived emulsion can ensure effective and an inexpensive control of M. persicae for potato spring cropping systems. The current results open real opportunities concerning the implementation of ecofriendly and potent potato protection systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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13 pages, 3284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth Responses of Three European Weeds on Different AMF Species during Early Development

by Verena Säle, Ewald Sieverding and Fritz Oehl

Plants 2022, 11(15), 2020; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11152020 - 3 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1708

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have multiple functions in agroecosystems and affect many processes below- and aboveground, including plant productivity. Mycorrhizal symbiosis is not necessarily beneficial for the host plant and the growth response can be not only positive but also neutral or negative. [...] Read more.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have multiple functions in agroecosystems and affect many processes below- and aboveground, including plant productivity. Mycorrhizal symbiosis is not necessarily beneficial for the host plant and the growth response can be not only positive but also neutral or negative. Among other factors, the responsiveness of plants to AMF depends on the plant-fungus combination. To find out whether the AMF species or isolate is a decisive factor for growth responses of weeds, 44 AMF isolates were tested in a pot experiment for their effects on three agricultural weeds: Echinochloa crus-galli, Solanum nigrum and Papaver rhoeas. The 44 isolates cover 18 AMF species from 13 genera and all 5 orders of the Glomeromycota. The aboveground biomass of the weeds was determined after different times of growth of each weed. In most cases, the effects of AMF isolates on weed growth were negative or neutral. We conclude that some weed species do not benefit from AMF in terms of growth. AMF species can even cause negative growth responses, an effect that may be of practical interest for organic farming where the aim is to obtain a high diversity and concentration of native AMF for the benefit of the cultivated crops without increasing the labor for mechanical weeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symbiosis of Plants with Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi)

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