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Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Jun 2022Ecological methods are becoming increasingly popular. One of these methods is plant biotization. In our paper, we focus on selection of Vaccinium corymbosum hairy...
Ecological methods are becoming increasingly popular. One of these methods is plant biotization. In our paper, we focus on selection of Vaccinium corymbosum hairy root-inhabiting fungi for plant growth promotion in a single microorganism inoculation setup and then composed a multiorganismal inoculum enriched with a representative of another group of fungi, leaf endophytes. The hairy roots of V. corymbosum hosted 13 fungal taxa. In single inoculation of the plant with fungal strains, the most beneficial for plant growth were Oidiodendron maius and Phialocephala fortinii. Additional inoculation of the plants with three root symbiotic fungi (O. maius, Hymenoscyphus sp. and P. fortinii) and with the endophytic fungus Xylaria sp. increased plant height in laboratory experiments. On a semi-industrial scale, inoculation improved plant biomass and vitality. Therefore, the amendment of root-associated fungal communities with a mixture of ericoid mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi may represent an alternative to conventional fertilization and pesticide application in large-scale blueberry production. KEY POINTS: • O. maius and P. fortinii significantly stimulated V. corymbosum growth in a single inoculation. • Multimicroorganismal inoculum increased plant biomass and vitality. • Blueberry biotization with ericoid and endophytic fungi is recommended.
Topics: Blueberry Plants; Endophytes; Fungi; Mycorrhizae; Plant Roots; Plants; Symbiosis
PubMed: 35729273
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12019-5 -
The Science of the Total Environment Aug 2022Biochar (i.e., pyrochar and hydrochar) application is a promising strategy to improve soil quality and productivity. However, the comparison of biochars with different...
Biochar (i.e., pyrochar and hydrochar) application is a promising strategy to improve soil quality and productivity. However, the comparison of biochars with different carbonization methods and feedstocks for the plant growth in the coastal salt-affected soil remains limited. In this study, a 30-day microcosmic experiment was conducted to compare the effects of pyrochars and hydrochars derived from reed straw (RPC and RHC) and cow manure (CPC and CHC) on the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seedling growth in a coastal salt-affected soil of Yellow River Delta, China. The results showed that RPC, CHC and CPC significantly elevated fresh shoot weight by 67.77%-89.37%, whereas the RHC amendment showed little effect. The malondialdehyde contents in peanut seedling leaves were significantly declined by 25.28%-35.51% with pyrochar and hydrochar amendments, which might be associated with the enhanced proline contents and K/Na ratios. The stimulation of certain phytohormones (i.e., indole-3-acetic acid, zeatin riboside, gibberellic acid 3) in peanut seedlings with pyrochar and hydrochar amendments might be attributed to the growth enhancement. RPC, CPC and CHC improved the soil properties and fertility such as cation-exchange capacity (CEC), total nitrogen, and available potassium and water holding capacity (WHC) of the coastal salt-affected soil. However, RHC not only significantly decreased soil CEC and WHC, but also increased soil exchangeable sodium percentage. The abundances of soil beneficial bacteria, such as f_Gemmatimonadacea, Sphingomonas, Blastococcus and Lysobacter were enhanced by RPC, CHC and CPC amendments, which were mainly associated with the increased WHC and CEC. Fungal community was less sensitive to pyrochar and hydrochar amendments than bacterial community according to the relative abundance and diversity, and beneficial fungi, such as Oidiodendron and Sarocladium were enriched in the CHC soil. Overall, the application of RPC, CHC and CPC showed greater potentials for the enhancement of peanut growth in a coastal salt-affected soil.
Topics: Arachis; Charcoal; Manure; Rivers; Seedlings; Soil; Water
PubMed: 35421479
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155183 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2021Although velvetleaf blueberry () is usually associated with sandy (upland) areas of the North American boreal forest, lowland populations can be also found in bogs,...
Although velvetleaf blueberry () is usually associated with sandy (upland) areas of the North American boreal forest, lowland populations can be also found in bogs, suggesting possible adaptations to different site conditions. In this study, we examined the role of ericoid mycorrhizal (ERM) fungi in conferring drought resistance to the upland and lowland velvetleaf blueberry seedlings. The seedlings were inoculated with four ERM fungi (, , , and ) isolated from the roots of ericaceous plants and grown under controlled environmental conditions in sterilized soil. The inoculated and non-inoculated (inoculation control) plants were subsequently subjected to three cycles of drought stress by withdrawing watering. Lowland plants appeared to benefit relatively more from mycorrhizal colonization, compared with the upland plants, in terms of plant growth and drought survival. After three weeks of treatments, the dry weights of non-inoculated well-watered upland plants were higher compared to the non-inoculated lowland plants. However, these differences were offset by the inoculation of plants with ERM fungi, some of which also significantly improved drought resistance characteristics of the upland and lowland plants. There were no major differences in the effects of different ERM fungal species on drought responses of upland and lowland plants. Of the examined ericoid mycorrhizal fungi, inoculation with was the most effective in conferring drought resistance characteristics to both upland and lowland seedlings and helped maintain higher shoot water potentials, net photosynthetic, and transpiration rates in plants subjected to drought stress.
PubMed: 34961258
DOI: 10.3390/plants10122786 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Oil tea ( spp.) is endemic to the hilly regions in the subtropics. is resistant to diseases such as anthracnose and root rot, while is a high-yield species but...
Oil tea ( spp.) is endemic to the hilly regions in the subtropics. is resistant to diseases such as anthracnose and root rot, while is a high-yield species but susceptible to these diseases. We hypothesize that differences in the rhizosphere microbial communities and functions will elucidate the resistance mechanisms of these species. We used high-throughput sequencing over four seasons to characterize the rhizosphere microbiome of (Rhizo-Sus) and (Rhizo-Res) and of the bulk soil control (BulkS). In Rhizo-Res, bacterial richness and diversity (Shannon index) in autumn and winter were both higher than that in Rhizo-Sus. In Rhizo-Res, fungal richness in autumn and winter and diversity in summer, autumn, and winter were higher than that in Rhizo-Sus. The seasonal variations in bacterial community structure were different, while that of fungal community structure were similar between Rhizo-Res and Rhizo-Sus. Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, and stress-tolerant bacteria were the dominant groups in Rhizo-Sus, while Gram-negative bacteria were the dominant group in Rhizo-Res. The significant differences in bacterial and fungal functions between Rhizo-Sus and Rhizo-Res were as follows: (1) in Rhizo-Sus, there were three bacterial and four fungal groups with plant growth promoting potentials, such as and , and one bacterium and three fungi with pathogenic potentials, such as sp. and ; (2) in Rhizo-Res, there were also three bacteria and four fungal groups with plant-growth-promoting potentials (e.g., and ) but only one phytopathogen (). In summary, the rhizosphere microbiome of disease-resistant is characterized by a higher richness and diversity of microbial communities, more symbiotic fungal communities, and fewer pathogens compared to the rhizosphere of high-yield but disease-susceptible
PubMed: 34733251
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.732905 -
Biology Oct 2021forms a symbiotic association with coniferous trees, developing mycelial aggregations, called 'shiro', which are characterized by distinct chemical and physical...
forms a symbiotic association with coniferous trees, developing mycelial aggregations, called 'shiro', which are characterized by distinct chemical and physical properties from nearby forest bulk soil. The fungal diversity living in shiro soil play key roles in nutrient cycles for this economically important mushroom, but have not been profiled across large spatial and environmental gradients. Samples of shiro and non-shiro (nearby bulk soil) were taken from five field sites where sporocarps naturally formed. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and Illumina MiSeq sequencing were combined to identify fungal biomass and community structure. Matsutake dominated in the shiro, which had a significantly reduced saprotrophic fungi biomass compared to non-shiro soil. Fungal diversity was negatively correlated with the relative abundance of in the shiro soil. The fungal community in the shiro was characterized by similar fungal species composition in most samples regardless of forest types. Matsutake coexisted with a specific fungal community due to competition or nutrient interactions. was positively correlated with the abundance of , commonly cohabitant in the shiro. In contrast, and were negatively correlated with , both of which commonly inhabit the non-shiro soil but do not occur in shiro soils. We conclude that generate a dominance effect to shape the fungal community and diversity in shiro soil across distinctive forest types.
PubMed: 34681150
DOI: 10.3390/biology10101051 -
Journal of Microbiology and... May 2021is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with the root of . Soil microbial communities greatly affect the growth of , however, few studies have...
is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with the root of . Soil microbial communities greatly affect the growth of , however, few studies have examined the characteristics of these communities. In the present study, we analyzed soil fungal communities from Gyeongju and Yeongdeok using metagenomic pyrosequencing to investigate differences in fungal species diversity, richness, and taxonomic composition between the soil under fruiting bodies (Sample 2) and soil where the fairy ring of was no longer present (Sample 1). The same spot was investigated three times at intervals of four months to observe changes in the community. In the samples from Yeongdeok, the number of valid reads was lower than that at Gyeongju. The operational taxonomic units of most Sample 2 groups were less than those of Sample 1 groups, indicating that fungal diversity was low in the dominant soil. The soil under the fruiting bodies was dominated by more than 51% . From fall to the following spring, the ratio of decreased. Basidiomycota was the dominant phylum in most samples. G-F1-2, G-F2-2, and Y-F1-2 had the genera , and in common. G-F1-1, G-F2-1, and Y-F1-1 had 10 genera including and in common. From fall to the following spring, the amount of phyla Basidiomycota and Mucoromycota gradually decreased but that of phylum Ascomycota increased. We suggest that the genus is positively related to .
Topics: Agaricales; Fungi; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Metagenomics; Mycobiome; Pinus; Republic of Korea; Seasons; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 33782219
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2103.03021 -
PloS One 2020Endophytic fungi play an important role in plant growth. The composition and structure of endophytes vary in different plant tissues, which are specific habitats for...
Endophytic fungi play an important role in plant growth. The composition and structure of endophytes vary in different plant tissues, which are specific habitats for endophyte colonization. To analyze the diversity and structural composition of endophytic fungi from toothed clubmoss (Huperzia serrata) that was artificially cultivated for 3 years, we investigated endophytic fungi from the roots, stems and leaves using comparative sequence analysis of the ITS2 region of the fungal rRNA genes sequenced with high-throughput sequencing technology. Seven fungal phyla were identified, and fungal diversity and structure varied across different tissues, with the most distinctive community features found in the roots. A total of 555 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected, and 198 were common to all samples, and 43, 16, 16 OTUs were unique to the root, stem, leaf samples, respectively. Taxonomic classification showed that Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant phyla, and Cladosporium, Oidiodendron, Phyllosticta, Sebacina and Ilyonectria were dominant genera. The relative abundance heat map at the genus level suggested that H. serrata had characteristic endophytic fungal microbiomes. Line discriminant analysis effect size analysis and principal coordinate analysis demonstrated that fungal communities were tissue-type and tissue-site specific. Overall, our study provides new insights into the complex composition of endophytic fungi in H. serrata.
Topics: Ascomycota; Basidiomycota; Fungi; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Huperzia; Phylogeny; Plant Leaves; Plant Roots; Plant Stems; Principal Component Analysis; RNA, Ribosomal; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 33211760
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242258 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2020The pine mushroom (; Agaricales, Tricholomataceae) is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that produces a commercially valuable, edible mushrooms. Attempts to artificially...
The pine mushroom (; Agaricales, Tricholomataceae) is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that produces a commercially valuable, edible mushrooms. Attempts to artificially cultivate has so far been unsuccessful. One method used to induce to produce fruiting bodies of in the wild is shiro (mycelial aggregations of ) transplantation. ectomycorrhization of with seedlings of has been successful, but field trials showed limited production of fruiting bodies. Few studies have been done to test what happens after transplantation in the wild, whether persists on the pine seedling roots or gets replaced by other fungi. Here, we investigated the composition and the interaction of the root fungal microbiome of seedlings inoculated with over a 3 year period after field transplantation, using high-throughput sequencing. We found a decline of colonization on pine roots and succession of mycorrhizal fungi as seedlings grew. Early on, roots were colonized by fast-growing, saprotrophic Ascomycota, then later replaced by early stage ectomycorrhiza such as . At the end, more competitive species dominated the host roots. Most of the major OTUs had negative or neutral correlation with , but several saprotrophic/plant pathogenic/mycoparasitic species in genera , , and had positive correlation with . Four keystone species were identified during succession; two species (, and ) had a positive correlation with , while the other two had a negative correlation (, ). These findings have important implications for further studies on the artificial cultivation of .
PubMed: 33101248
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.574146 -
Horticulture Research 2020Adventitious root (AR) formation is a unique feature of plant reproduction and plays a vital role in crop production as many horticultural and forestry plants are...
Adventitious root (AR) formation is a unique feature of plant reproduction and plays a vital role in crop production as many horticultural and forestry plants are propagated through cuttings. A growing number of reports have shown that microbes, particularly mycorrhizal fungi are able to promote AR formation, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. This study established an in vitro culture system and investigated AR formation in microcuttings of Lindl. inoculated with Barron Om19, an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus strain. Hormones and precursors involved in the biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in Om19 mycelium were analyzed. Om19 was able to produce a large quantity of tryptophan (Trp) and also indole-3-pyruvate (IPA) and IAA, indicating that IAA biosynthesis in Om19 could be through a Trp-dependent pathway. After inoculation of Om19, ARs were quickly formed in microcuttings. Symbiosis related genes were activated in ARs, and Om19 effectively colonized the roots. , a key gene in plant biosynthesis of IAA and genes involved in nitrogen (N) uptake and metabolism, phosphorus (P) uptake were highly upregulated. Plants absorbed significantly greater quantity of mineral nutrients, and their growth was substantially enhanced compared to the control plants without Om19 inoculation. A working model for Om19 enhanced AR formation was proposed. The rapid formation of ARs in cuttings could be due in part to the induction of IAA biosynthesized by Om19 and also attributed to Trp catalyzed biosynthesis of IAA in plants. AR formation, in turn, provided Om19 preferred sites for colonization. Our study suggested that in addition to promoting AR formation, Om19 could potentially be used as a new biofertilizer for enhancing production of ericaceous plants, such as blueberry, cranberry, and rhododendron.
PubMed: 32922812
DOI: 10.1038/s41438-020-00361-6 -
IMA Fungus 2019Fungi can colonize most of the substrata on Earth. Honey, a sugary food produced by bees (and other insects) has been studied little in terms of its fungal diversity. We...
Fungi can colonize most of the substrata on Earth. Honey, a sugary food produced by bees (and other insects) has been studied little in terms of its fungal diversity. We have surveyed and evaluated the presence of xerotolerant and xerophilic fungi in a set of honey bee samples collected from across Spain. From 84 samples, a total of 104 fungal strains were isolated, and morphologically and phylogenetically characterized. We identified 32 species distributed across 16 genera, most of them belonging to the ascomycetous genera , , , , , , , , and . As a result of this survey, eight new taxa are proposed: i.e. the new family two new genera, and in ; three new species of , , , and ; and two new species of and .
PubMed: 32647624
DOI: 10.1186/s43008-019-0021-7