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15 pages, 2715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Overcoming Forage Challenges in Mesophytic Grasslands—The Advantages of Lotus tenuis

by María Elena Vago, Paula Virginia Fernández, Juan Pedro Ezquiaga, Santiago Javier Maiale, Andrés Alberto Rodriguez, Juan Manuel Acosta, Maximiliano Gortari, Oscar Adolfo Ruiz and Marina Ciancia

Grasses 2025, 4(2), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/grasses4020019 - 7 May 2025

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Abstract

Previous studies in the Salado River Basin (Argentina) demonstrated that the introduced forage species, Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Wild. (Fabaceae), possesses high tolerance to abiotic stresses—including flooding, alkalinity, salinity, and drought. The efficient biological fixation of nitrogen in a region with a scarce presence of native legumes is one of its advantages. Despite these qualities, a year-long characterization of cell wall (CW) polysaccharides in Lotus tenuis and their relationship with the high nutritional quality is missing. In this study, seasonal parametric investigations of L. tenuis, regarding its photosynthetic and ionic status, modifications in CW composition, and concomitant nutritional quality, were performed. Our results demonstrate the high plant digestibility and protein content of this legume, even in summer, when most accompanying species reduce their forage quality. Regarding gas production kinetics (in vitro production is a proxy for the animal rumen’s output), spring biomass had the highest values. The CW material yields are similar throughout the year, but with differences in polysaccharide composition. In summer and winter, pectins predominate, while in the regrowth periods (spring and autumn), pectins and β-glucans are found in similar amounts. This work confirms that Lotus tenuis can help optimize grassland productivity in challenging mesophytic terrains to increase livestock productivity through environmentally friendly services. Full article

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16 pages, 2764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lotus tenuis in Association with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Is More Tolerant to Partial Submergence than to High-Intensity Defoliation

by Ileana García

Int. J. Plant Biol. 2025, 16(2), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16020047 - 29 Apr 2025

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the association of Lotus tenuis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on its development under high defoliation intensity or partial submergence in a P-deficient soil of the Salado River Basin in a pot experiment. L. tenuis mycorrhizal plants showed higher tolerance to partial submergence (91%) than to high defoliation intensity (57%). Shoot biomass was the highest in mycorrhizal non-stressed and submerged plants (11.71 g and 12.06 g, respectively), and decreased by 38% in defoliated plants. Both stress conditions caused a negative effect on root growth of plants with or without AMF. High-intensity defoliation can be considered the most stressful scenario for mycorrhizal L. tenuis plants and AMF play a more marked role in P nutrition. Under submergence, AMF caused a net effect on L. tenuis growth, improving carbon and P resource distribution to sustain shoot growth and elongation. Root AMF colonization and nodulation decreased under submergence. High arbuscular colonization percentages were reached under both stress conditions, indicating that the symbiosis may be functional. L. tenuis roots can act as a reservoir of the fungal community under severe stress conditions, allowing the preservation of the AMF inoculum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Plant Response to Stresses)

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24 pages, 5362 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metabolic Profiling and Metabolite Correlation Network Analysis Reveal That Fusarium solani Induces Differential Metabolic Responses in Lotus japonicus and Lotus tenuis against Severe Phosphate Starvation

by Amira Susana Nieva, Fernando Matías Romero, Alexander Erban, Pedro Carrasco, Oscar Adolfo Ruiz and Joachim Kopka

J. Fungi 2021, 7(9), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7090765 - 16 Sep 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4054

Abstract

Root fungal endophytes are essential mediators of plant nutrition under mild stress conditions. However, variations in the rhizosphere environment, such as nutrient depletion, could result in a stressful situation for both partners, shifting mutualistic to nonconvenient interactions. Mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes (DSEs) have demonstrated their ability to facilitate phosphate (Pi) acquisition. However, few studies have investigated other plant–fungal interactions that take place in the root environment with regard to phosphate nutrition. In the present research work, we aimed to analyze the effect of extreme Pi starvation and the fungal endophyte Fusarium solani on the model Lotus japonicus and the crop L. tenuis. We conducted metabolomics analysis based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) on plant tissues under optimal conditions, severe Pi starvation and F.solani presence. By combining statistical and correlation network analysis strategies, we demonstrated the differential outcomes of the two plant species against the combination of treatments. The combination of nutritional stress and Fusarium presence activated significant modifications in the metabolism of L. japonicus affecting the levels of sugars, polyols and some amino acids. Our results display potential markers for further inspection of the factors related to plant nutrition and plant–fungal interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant and Fungal Interactions)

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15 pages, 2065 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Water Level on Species Quantity and Composition Grown from the Soil Seed Bank of the Inland Salt Marsh: An Ex-Situ Experiment

by Eva Čížková, Jana Navrátilová, Stanislav Martinát, Josef Navrátil and Ryan J. Frazier

Land 2020, 9(12), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/land9120533 - 20 Dec 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3057

Abstract

The near elimination of inland salt marshes in Central Europe occurred throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and the currently remaining marshes exist in a degraded condition. This work examines the impact of groundwater level on the growth of plants from a seed bank obtained from a degraded salt marsh in proximity to still existing one through an ex-situ experiment. An experimental tank was set up with the sample seed bank experiencing differing levels of water level. There were 1233 specimens of 44 taxa grown from the seed bank, of which 5 species were abundant, and 10 species are considered as halophytes. Only Lotus tenuis from halophytes was more abundant, and only five species of halophytes were represented by more than three individuals. The water level has a significant impact on the number of species (based on linear regression analysis) as well as species distribution among different water level treatments (a non-metric multidimensional analysis (nMDS) followed by linear regression). The results show a strong negative relationship between the average water level and the number of species. The water level did not affect the species composition of halophytes, but differences in individual species abundances were found among the halophytes. The species Bupleurum tenuissimum, Crypsis schoenoides, Melilotus dentatus, and Plantago maritima grew on the drier and non-inundated soils. Tripolium pannonicum, Spergularia maritima, and Lotus tenuis grew on both wet and dry soils. Trifolium fragiferum and Bolboschoenus maritimus were found in places with water stagnant at the soil level. Pulicaria dysenterica grew in inundated soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Restoration)

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