Article
Ecology
Ximena Cibils-Stewart, Wade J. Mace, Alison J. Popay, Fernando A. Lattanzi, Susan (Sue) E. Hartley, Casey R. Hall, Jeff R. Powell, Scott N. Johnson
Summary: Grasses have developed various mechanisms to resist herbivory, including accumulating silicon and associating with Epichloe-endophytes. The interaction between silicon and endophytes plays a crucial role in antiherbivore defenses in grasses.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Adrian Leuchtmann, Christopher L. Schardl
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity of Epichloe from European Brachypodium and Calamagrostis species, revealing that hosts do not always select for particular endophyte genotypes and identifying distinct lineages of Epichloe sylvatica on B. sylvaticum.
Article
Microbiology
Ming-Zhu Kou, Daniel A. Bastias, Michael J. Christensen, Rui Zhong, Zhi-Biao Nan, Xing-Xu Zhang
Summary: The study shows that Epichloe fungal endophytes increase the production of SA in plants, enhancing their resistance against biotrophic pathogens.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yali He, Taixiang Chen, Haijuan Zhang, James F. White, Chunjie Li
Summary: Research has shown that endophytes can increase plants' tolerance to aphid feeding and regulate plant growth. Endophyte triggers a factor that overrides negative growth effects and increases levels of jasmonic acid, antagonistic to the salicylic acid pathway.
JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Peng Zhang, Siyu Meng, Gensheng Bao, Yuan Li, Xiaoyun Feng, Hainian Lu, Jingjuan Ma, Xiaoxing Wei, Wenhui Liu
Summary: The infection of Epichloe endophytes can enhance the growth and nutrient status of Stipa purpurea under root hemiparasitic stress. Furthermore, the allocation of photosynthetic carbon-13 and the carbon-13 partition rate increased as the density of Pedicularis kansuensis, the parasitic plant, increased. These findings provide new insights into the potential role of symbiotic microorganisms in regulating the interaction between root hemiparasites and their hosts.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ludmila M. Bubica Bustos, Andrea C. Ueno, Fernando Biganzoli, Stuart D. Card, Wade J. Mace, Maria A. Martinez-Ghersa, Pedro E. Gundel
Summary: This study investigates the impact of herbivory on the resistance of offspring plants. The results suggest that herbivory does not increase alkaloid concentration in seeds, but it does have an effect on alkaloid concentration and resistance level in progeny plants. Symbiotic plants show higher resistance to herbivores compared to non-symbiotic plants. The enhanced resistance may result from an inherited mechanism of epigenetic regulation.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Na Ding, Haichao Guo, Joseph Kupper, David H. McNear
Summary: The symbiosis between the fungal endophyte Epichloe coenophiala and tall fescue is believed to provide a competitive advantage under nutrient-limited conditions, with the endophyte strain having a significant influence on plant biomass production and rhizosphere biogeochemical properties. Shoot-specific endophytes, notably AR542E+, had a greater effect on rhizosphere general fungi under P limiting conditions, showing a complex relationship between endophytes, nutrient availability, and plant development.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Rui Zhong, Lin Zhang, Xingxu Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the impact of Epichloe endophytes on grass-AMF symbiosis, revealing different effects on plant roots and soil AMF.
Review
Microbiology
Kendall Lee, Ali Missaoui, Kishan Mahmud, Holly Presley, Marin Lonnee
Summary: Cool-season grasses form mutualistic relationships with endophytic fungi of the Epichloe genus, providing protection for the grass in exchange for housing and nutrients to the fungus. This symbiotic relationship helps the grass withstand various stressors and affects the rhizosphere environment of the plant.
Article
Plant Sciences
Po-An Lin, Sulav Paudel, Nursyafiqi Bin Zainuddin, Ching-Wen Tan, Anjel Helms, Jared G. Ali, Gary W. Felton
Summary: Water availability has an impact on the ability of plants to attract natural enemies through herbivore-induced plant volatiles. Low water availability increases the emission of repellent volatiles and reduces the emission of volatiles that attract natural enemies, disrupting plant indirect defense mediated by natural enemies.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yongkang Deng, Xinhe Yu, Jiaqi Yin, Lei Chen, Nianxi Zhao, Yubao Gao, Anzhi Ren
Summary: This study demonstrates the impact of endophytes on the insect resistance of a grass species, Leymus chinensis. The presence of endophytes enhances the host's resistance, and locusts prefer leaves without endophytes. The study suggests that endophytes may increase locust resistance by altering VOC emissions, specifically decreasing pentadecane and increasing nonanal emissions.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eric C. Pereira, Beatriz R. Vazquez de Aldana, Juan B. Arellano, Inigo Zabalgogeazcoa
Summary: The study found that the fungal microbiome associated with Festuca rubra subsp. pruinosa in sea cliffs has a significant impact on plant growth performance under conditions of salinity and nutrient availability. The fungi P. macrospinosa promoted leaf and root growth in the presence of salinity, while F. oxysporum decreased leaf Na+ content under salinity. These fungi provide important complementary functions for plant adaptation to their habitat.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Kylea R. Garces, Lukas Bell-Dereske, Jennifer A. Rudgers, Sarah M. Emery
Summary: Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) enrichment in low-nutrient primary successional systems may affect plant community assembly and the dominance of ecosystem-engineering plants. The study examines the direct and interactive effects of microbial symbiosis and N addition on plant succession in Michigan, USA. The research finds that N addition suppresses plant diversity by reducing species richness when the symbiotic fungal endophyte Epichloe amarillans is present in the dominant dune grass species Ammophila breviligulata. N addition also alters plant community composition by favoring efficient colonizers, particularly C-4 grasses.
Article
Agronomy
Gensheng Bao, Meiling Song, Yuqin Wang, Yali Yin
Summary: Root hemiparasite infection is a potential biotic stress that affects the growth of cool-season grasses, with the damage largely determined by parasite density. Endophytes can mitigate the negative effects of hemiparasitic plants on host grass growth.
Review
Ecology
Sebastian Stockmaier, Yuko Ulrich, Gregory F. F. Albery, Sylvia Cremer, Patricia C. C. Lopes
Summary: Animals have developed various behavioral defenses to combat socially transmitted parasites, which can have significant impacts on the social group as a whole. These defenses include avoidance, resistance, and tolerance behaviors, and their expression and evolution are influenced by factors such as social complexity, group composition, and interdependent social relationships.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
S. Ramula, S. A. Mathew, A. Kalske, R. Nissinen, K. Saikkonen, M. Helander
Summary: The study found that soil phosphorus level rather than glyphosate treatment influenced the richness of plant endophytic microbial communities. While the composition of plant bacterial communities differed between glyphosate-treated and control soils across plant tissue types, no difference was observed for fungi. Plant bacterial communities in glyphosate-treated soils were dominated by potential nitrogen-fixing bacteria belonging to the family Bradyrhizobiaceae.
Review
Plant Sciences
Anna L. Ruotsalainen, Miia Kauppinen, Piippa R. Wali, Kari Saikkonen, Marjo Helander, Juha Tuomi
Summary: Plant roots are colonized by dark septate endophytic fungi in various ecosystems. These fungi have different relationships with plants, ranging from antagonistic to mutualistic. This study examines the role of by-product benefits in DSE and other root-fungal symbioses, categorizing the benefits as either by-products or benefits requiring reciprocal investment from the host. The research suggests that DSE could be considered a transitional phase in the evolution of cooperative mycorrhizal symbionts.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Pere Puigbo, Lyydia Leino, Miia J. Rainio, Kari Saikkonen, Irma Saloniemi, Marjo Helander
Summary: Glyphosate, the most widely used agrochemical, was previously considered safe for human microbiota due to the absence of the target enzyme, but recent studies have shown potential risks to human microbiome. Further research is needed to determine the effects of glyphosate on healthy human microbiota.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sini Isokaanta, Santtu Mikkonen, Maria Laurikainen, Angela Buchholz, Siegfried Schobesberger, James D. Blande, Tuomo Nieminen, Ilona Ylivinkka, Jaana Back, Tuukka Petaja, Markku Kulmala, Taina Yli-Juuti
Summary: The study investigates the temperature dependency of tropospheric ozone concentration in the Finnish boreal forest. It finds that factors like weather conditions, long-range transport of precursors, and hydrocarbon concentration influence this dependency. Moreover, it identifies the role of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in the temperature dependence of ozone concentration in a low-NOx environment. The findings highlight the importance of considering multiple factors and the potential of using mixed effects models for ozone prediction.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patrick Grof-Tisza, Natasja Kruizenga, Arja Tervahauta, James D. Blande
Summary: Plants produce volatile organic compounds as secondary metabolites, and some species exhibit discrete variation in these compounds, allowing individuals within a population to be grouped into distinct chemotypes. This study found that sagebrush plants can passively absorb and reemit damage-induced plant volatiles (DIPVs), resulting in reduced herbivore damage. Additionally, plants showed stronger resistance when exposed to DIPVs from plants of the same chemotype. These findings support the concept of kin recognition in plants and suggest that volatile-mediated associational resistance is a passive acquired defense mechanism in sagebrush.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Hao Yu, Minna Kivimaenpaa, James D. Blande
Summary: This study explores the responses of conifer receiver plants to bark-feeding-induced volatiles, revealing enhanced resistance to weevil feeding, induced and primed volatile emissions, and changes in resin ducts. Importantly, HIPV exposure increased stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis rate of receiver plants. Under elevated ozone conditions, receiver-plant responses were altered but the defence benefits remained intact.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Suvi Ruuskanen, Benjamin Fuchs, Riitta Nissinen, Pere Puigbo, Miia Rainio, Kari Saikkonen, Marjo Helander
Summary: Non-target organisms are exposed to herbicides globally, with increasing evidence showing their profound effects on ecosystem functions through altered microbial communities. This paper provides a comprehensive framework on how herbicide residues can impact ecosystem-level outcomes through changes in microbiomes. These changes in soil microbiomes can influence nutrient cycling, plant-soil processes, and trophic interactions such as herbivory and pollination, leading to ecosystem and evolutionary consequences for both microbes and hosts. Addressing the threats posed by agrochemicals to ecosystem functions and services requires a comprehensive understanding of microbe-mediated risks and the development of appropriate tools and solutions.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tao Li, Nanna Baggesen, Roger Seco, Riikka Rinnan
Summary: In the subarctic tundra heath in Abisko, Northern Sweden, BVOC emissions from vegetation exhibit seasonal and diurnal patterns. Different compound groups have different emission patterns, and temperature and light levels significantly influence BVOC emissions.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
James M. W. Ryalls, Lisa M. Bromfield, Luke Bell, Jake Jasper, Neil J. Mullinger, James D. Blande, Robbie D. Girling
Summary: Air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and ozone disrupt interactions between plants, insect pests, and their natural enemies. A study found that ozone alone decreased the abundance and emergence of a specialist parasitoid, while simultaneous exposure to ozone and diesel exhaust increased their abundance and emergence. This attraction response was associated with an increase in the concentration of a substance in the leaves.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marjo Helander, Topi K. Lehtonen, Kari Saikkonen, Leo Despains, Danae Nyckees, Anna Antinoja, Cwyn Solvi, Olli J. Loukola
Summary: Pesticide exposure affects bumblebees' fine-color discrimination, posing a greater threat to pollination-based ecosystem services and colony fitness than previously thought.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Suni Anie Mathew, Marjo Helander, Kari Saikkonen, Radomira Vankova, Petre I. I. Dobrev, Serdar Dirihan, Benjamin Fuchs
Summary: This study found that the endophytic microbial community in meadow fescue differs between leaf and root tissues, and the fungal community in the leaves is different between Epichloe-symbiotic and Epichloe-free plants. Epichloe symbiosis alters phytohormone concentrations and enhances plant performance in biomass and seed mass. The results suggest that Epichloe endophytes affect plant immune responses and other fungal endophytes through changes in leaf fungal microbiota and phytohormone concentrations.
Article
Microbiology
Aino Kalske, Kari Saikkonen, Marjo Helander
Summary: Vertically transmitted endophytic fungi can mitigate salinity effects on host grass and alter competitive interactions. Experimentally, tall fescue plants without endophytic fungi grew larger under salt treatment, but there was no difference in control treatment. In the common garden, plants without endophytic fungi grew taller and were more likely to flower, but no difference was observed under salinity or competition conditions.
Article
Microbiology
Marjo Helander, Aditya Jeevannavar, Kimmo Kaakinen, Suni A. Mathew, Kari Saikkonen, Benjamin Fuchs, Pere Puigbo, Olli J. Loukola, Manu Tamminen
Summary: Pollinator decline is a serious issue, with the overuse of pesticides, particularly glyphosate, being a potential cause. This study found that glyphosate negatively affects the gut microbiota of bumblebees, reducing diversity and decreasing the abundance of sensitive bacterial species. These findings suggest that the heavy use of glyphosate-based herbicides may have implications for bees and ecosystems.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Suni Anie Mathew, Benjamin Fuchs, Riitta Nissinen, Marjo Helander, Pere Puigbo, Kari Saikkonen, Anne Muola
Summary: This study investigates the effects of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) on the performance and endophytic microbiota of garden strawberry. The results show that GBH treatments alter the abundance and/or frequency of certain root-associated fungi and bacteria, partly related to their sensitivity to glyphosate. However, GBH treatments do not shape the overall community structure of strawberry microbiota or affect plant performance. Additionally, phosphate fertilizer increases the abundance of both glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-sensitive bacterial populations, regardless of GBH treatments.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)