Article
Plant Sciences
Stephanie J. Watts-Williams, Stefanie Wege, Sunita A. Ramesh, Oliver Berkowitz, Bo Xu, Matthew Gilliham, James Whelan, Stephen D. Tyerman
Summary: Soil micronutrient availability, particularly zinc (Zn), is a limiting factor in crop yield. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi facilitate nutrient uptake in host plants through the mycorrhizal pathway. In this study, RNA-seq analysis revealed that the putative Zn transporter gene, MtZIP14, was up-regulated in Medicago truncatula roots during colonization by Rhizophagus irregularis. Loss-of-function mutant plants lacking MtZIP14 showed reduced shoot biomass when grown under low Zn concentration and colonized by AM fungi, implicating a role for MtZIP14 in plant Zn nutrition and AM colonization.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fiona Jevon, Ashley K. Lang
Summary: The allocation of tree biomass to leaves, roots, and wood has implications for carbon residence time and storage in ecosystems. This study found that the type of mycorrhizal association, along with climate and leaf habit, significantly influenced biomass allocation. Trees associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi allocated more biomass to root tissue compared to trees associated with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. Considering mycorrhizal associations could improve our understanding of ecosystem carbon storage.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hui Xia, Chunguo Yang, Yan Liang, Zunzhen He, Yuqi Guo, Yuxuan Lang, Jie Wei, Xinbo Tian, Lijin Lin, Honghong Deng, Jin Wang, Xiulan Lv, Dong Liang
Summary: The combined application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and melatonin has additive effects on improving drought tolerance in kiwifruit seedlings, promoting plant growth and alleviating drought damage.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Haoqi Tian, Zhifeng Jia, Wenhui Liu, Xiaoxin Wei, Hui Wang, Gensheng Bao, Jin Li, Qingping Zhou
Summary: Inoculation with AMF improved the osmotic regulation and nutrient absorption and distribution of oat plants under drought stress, promoting their growth and biomass accumulation.
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Dariusz Zielonka, Lidia Sas-Paszt, Edyta Derkowska, Anna Lisek, Stefan Russel
Summary: The colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil and roots of hemp plants was examined under the influence of phosphogypsum and sewage sludge fertilization. Different hemp cultivars showed varying responses to the fungi colonization and fertilizer doses. Tygra cultivar exhibited high tolerance to phosphogypsum and sewage sludge, and positively responded to biomass production.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria V. Aparicio Chacon, Judith Van Dingenen, Sofie Goormachtig
Summary: Plants can be colonized by fungi with both harmful and beneficial effects. One way the fungi colonize is by secreting effector proteins that change the plant's physiology to suit the fungus. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), the oldest plant symbionts, may benefit from using effectors. Recent research has focused on understanding the function, evolution, and diversification of AMF effectors through genome analysis and transcriptomic studies. However, only a small fraction of the predicted effector proteins have been characterized, limiting our understanding of how they manipulate their host plants and which plant proteins they interact with.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Iver Jakobsen, Lisa Munkvold Murmann, Soren Rosendahl
Summary: The study investigated the impact of two fungicides on the performance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and found that low doses of the fungicides enhanced root colonization by AMF, while high doses suppressed their performance. The fungicides generated biphasic response curves in irradiated soil, indicating a hormetic effect on AMF.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ludivine Guigard, Lea Jobert, Nicolas Busset, Lionel Moulin, Pierre Czernic
Summary: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can form root symbioses with rice, improving its growth and tolerance to abiotic stresses. However, there is scarce information on rice mycorrhization, despite its high potential.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lu Yu, Hui Zhang, Wantong Zhang, Bing Han, Huakun Zhou, Xinming Lu, Yanfang Deng, Kesi Liu, Xinqing Shao
Summary: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Rhizobia, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are symbiotic partners of legume plants, and their interactions can enhance plant growth and nutrient uptake. In this greenhouse experiment, the individual and combined effects of AMF, Bacillus, and Rhizobium on plant growth and root traits were investigated. Results showed that triple inoculations significantly promoted plant biomass and root surface area, while the presence of AMF promoted root length and number of root branches but decreased root volume and diameter. The interactions between Bacillus, AMF, and Rhizobium had both synergistic and antagonistic effects on root traits.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Thomas B. Irving, Sanhita Chakraborty, Sergey Ivanov, Michael Schultze, Kirankumar S. Mysore, Maria J. Harrison, Jean-Michel Ane
Summary: This study characterized the symbiotic phenotypes of four Medicago truncatula mutants and identified two genes, RAM1 and KIN3, involved in mycorrhization. The results showed that RAM1 acts upstream of KIN3 and that KIN3 is involved in suppressing plant defenses and promoting root colonization. KIN3 also plays an essential role in the symbiotic response to soil nitrogen levels.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yan-Hong Wu, Yong Qin, Qing-Qing Cai, Min Liu, Dong-Mei He, Xin Chen, Hai Wang, Zhu-Yun Yan
Summary: This study reveals that the AMF community has great potential to improve the productivity and the accumulation of bioactive constituents in S. miltiorrhiza, indicating that it is an effective way to achieve sustainable agricultural development through using the AMF community.
Article
Agronomy
Jahangir A. Malik, AbdulAziz A. AlQarawi, Basharat A. Dar, Abeer Hashem, Thobayet S. Alshahrani, Mashail N. AlZain, Muhammad M. Habib, Muhammad M. Javed, Elsayed Fathi Abd-Allah
Summary: Salt stress significantly impacts plant growth, but research has shown that arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis can help improve plant tolerance to this stress. In a study comparing inocula from different habitats in Saudi Arabia, it was found that plants treated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi had higher growth metrics, increased synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, and enhanced antioxidant activities against salt stress. Plants inoculated with mycorrhizae from Sabkha habitats showed the highest improvement in all parameters compared to those from non-Sabkha habitats, suggesting a habitat-specific adaptation mechanism. Further research on the diversity of Sabkha mycorrhizal fungi is needed for ecofriendly restoration of salinity-affected ecosystems.
Article
Agronomy
Tong Si, Jinhao Lu, Yidan Cao, Zhaohui Tang, Dunwei Ci, Xiaona Yu, Xiaojun Zhang, Yuefu Wang, Xiaoxia Zou
Summary: Combined microbial agent (CMA) consisting of AMF and LP significantly enhances peanut salinity tolerance by improving plant growth, photosynthetic capacity, antioxidant system, and regulating stress-responsive pathways and root metabolism.
JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Abdurrahman S. Masrahi, Abdulrahman Alasmari, Mostafa G. Shahin, Alaa T. Qumsani, Hesham F. Oraby, Mamdouh M. A. Awad-Allah
Summary: This study examined the effects of three levels of bio-fertilizers (none, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB)) and three levels of phosphorus fertilizer dose on barley yield and nutrient uptake under saline soil conditions. The findings showed that the combination of AMF with 100% RDP significantly improved plant height, spike length, spike weight, number of spikes per plant, weight of 1000 grains, straw yield, grain yield, and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Article
Microbiology
Min Zhou, Xinru Li, Xuesong Liu, Yidong Mi, Zhiyou Fu, Ruiqing Zhang, Hailei Su, Yuan Wei, Huifang Liu, Fanfan Wang
Summary: This study investigated the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the uptake and distribution of antimony (Sb) in rice. The results showed that AMF increased the contact area between roots and metals, changed the pH and Eh of the root soil, and resulted in more Sb entering various parts of the rice. AMF inoculation also led to a decrease in rice chlorophyll content, biomass, and antioxidant enzyme activity.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhan Shi, Jacob Weiner, Andrea Cavalieri, Heyong Liu, Tianpeng Li, Jiangping Cai, Yong Jiang
Summary: Soil acidification induced by nitrogen deposition has significant impacts on species diversity and ecosystem function, with the potential role of phosphorous limitation overlooked. Changes in precipitation patterns may also affect soil acidification in semi-arid regions. The long-term effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, and water addition on soil acidification were investigated in a nine-year experiment in north-eastern China.
SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Yue Wu, Nianxun Xi, Jacob Weiner, Da-Yong Zhang
Summary: In modern agricultural systems, modern crop cultivars with low individual competitiveness can be more vulnerable to weed interference, but by increasing crop planting density, weed growth can be effectively suppressed. Research shows that old cultivars are better at weed suppression than modern cultivars at low density, while modern cultivars can perform equally well at high density.
Article
Soil Science
Ruyi Yang, Jacob Weiner, Xiaojing Shi, Yue Wang, Ranran Zhang, Meng Zhu
Summary: Pre-planting reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) has been found to improve soil chemical properties, alter microbial community composition, increase microbial diversity, and enhance seedling growth. However, the effectiveness of RSD varies among different cropping systems, with rotation cropping showing the best performance.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jacob Weiner, Yan-Lei Du, Yi-Min Zhao, Feng-Min Li
Summary: The yield stability of crops is determined by their ability to survive and grow, as well as the pattern of biomass allocation to yield under different conditions. There is a tradeoff between yield stability and high yield potential, with bet-hedging being the most suitable strategy for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Researchers and breeders need to reconsider their objectives to develop optimal varieties for these farmers.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Mubarak Ali, Asad Shabbir, Zahid Mahmood, Jacob Weiner
Summary: The presence of weed Medicago polymorpha can decrease wheat biomass and grain yield, even at low weed density. Increasing wheat density can effectively reduce weed biomass and seed production, while also increasing wheat yield. Different wheat cultivars responded differently to weed presence and wheat density, indicating the importance of selecting tolerant and weed-suppressive cultivars for managing weed infestation.
WEED BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nianxun Xi, Yue Wu, Jacob Weiner, Da-Yong Zhang
Summary: Size-asymmetric competition can be used in agriculture to suppress weeds by increasing crop density and spatial uniformity, and it has a positive impact on grain yield.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yong-He Zhu, Jacob Weiner, Yi Jin, Ming-Xi Yu, Feng-Min Li
Summary: This study shows that wheat plants have weakened competitive traits and responses through group selection, resulting in weaker competition but higher-yielding modern cultivars. Based on the experimental results, wheat plants allocate their biomass differently in response to resource levels and the presence of neighboring roots.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andrea Cavalieri, Dorothee Gross, Alexandra Dutay, Jacob Weiner
Summary: The study found that the total biomass production of plant monocultures tends to stabilize as density increases, known as constant final yield (CFY). Through a series of experiments, it was confirmed that CFY exists in communities of annual species, where individual species' contributions to biomass production remain relatively insensitive to increases in density above CFY.
Article
Plant Sciences
Haishui Yang, Chun Fang, Yifan Li, Yongcheng Wu, Petra Fransson, Matthias C. Rillig, Silong Zhai, Junjie Xie, Zongyi Tong, Qian Zhang, Mohamed S. Sheteiwy, Fengmin Li, Martin Weih
Summary: The study revealed a temporal complementarity pattern between roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in wheat nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Pre-anthesis N uptake efficiency is mainly affected by root traits, while the efficiency to utilize the pre-anthesis N for grain production is strongly influenced by AMF. The association between roots and AMF reduces N remobilization efficiency in high NUE varieties, but significantly improves post-anthesis N uptake.
Article
Agronomy
Wei -Ping Zhang, Zhao-Xin Li, Sai-Nan Gao, Hao Yang, Hua-Sen Xu, Xin Yang, Hong-Xia Fan, Ye Su, Surigaoge, Jacob Weiner, Dario Fornara, Long Li
Summary: This study investigated the effects of intercropping on the biomass of maize, peanut, and soybean. The results showed that intercropping with maize increased the biomass of maize, but decreased the biomass of peanut and soybean. This was mainly due to the greater leaf area, root length, and root biomass density of maize in intercropped systems. The biomass of peanut and soybean were suppressed by maize in intercropped systems. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying productivity advantages in species mixtures and have implications for sustainable agriculture management.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jiangping Cai, Jacob Weiner, Wentao Luo, Xue Feng, Guojiao Yang, Jiayu Lu, Xiao-Tao Lu, Mai-He Li, Yong Jiang, Xingguo Han
Summary: Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is changing grassland productivity and community structure worldwide. Different forms of deposited N have different consequences for productivity due to their different fertilization and acidification effects. Changes in plant functional traits may mediate these effects. In this study, the responses of aboveground primary productivity and community functional composition to the addition of three nitrogen compounds were investigated. The results suggest that N forms with different fertilizing and acidifying effects influence productivity through different functional trait pathways.
Editorial Material
Agronomy
Jacob Weiner
Summary: Research has shown that finding cultivars with high "competitive ability" against weeds is insufficient because weed suppression is the result of interactions among genotype, environment, and management. For example, the effect of cereal crop density on weed suppression is different at high versus low crop density. This highlights the need to focus on management strategies and traits that improve weed suppression under relevant management regimes rather than considering general competitive ability.
Article
Agronomy
Yue Xi, Dong Wang, Jacob Weiner, Yan-Lei Du, Feng-Min Li
Summary: Crop breeding has successfully increased crop grain yield through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort, and improved water-use efficiency. The relationship between grain yield and time from sowing to flowering remains unclear. Early flowering genotypes have higher water-use efficiency in grain production, but no significant difference in total biomass production. Yield is positively correlated with soil water remaining at harvest. Further increases in grain yield through this route are unlikely in the future.
Article
Plant Sciences
Renfei Chen, Cenxi Shi, Liang Zhang, Chengyi Tu, Jacob Weiner
Summary: According to the optimal reproductive allocation theory, plants should shift to reproductive allocation abruptly and completely. However, most plants undergo a gradual transition. Modified versions of the theory suggest a gradual shift. We hypothesized that kin selection can also influence this transition. Our mathematical models showed that under certain conditions, kin-selected plants are more likely to shift abruptly from growth to reproduction. These findings have important implications for understanding life history and energy allocation in plants, as well as for improving agricultural yields.
JOURNAL OF PLANT ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Silong Zhai, Chaofan Xu, Yongcheng Wu, Jian Liu, Yali Meng, Haishui Yang
Summary: The long-term implementation of ditch-buried straw return (DB-SR) significantly increased rice and wheat yields, improved soil organic carbon and nitrogen content, and enhanced soil microbial activity. This suggests that DB-SR has positive effects on grain production through different mechanisms in improving soil processes.
CROP & PASTURE SCIENCE
(2021)