Legume seed flavonoids and nitrogenous metabolites as signals and protectants in early seedling development

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick A. Ndakidemi ◽  
Felix D. Dakora
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Plant Seeds ◽  
Plant Pest ◽  
The Family ◽  
Early Seedling

Flavonoids and nitrogenous metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenoids, peptides and amino acids are major components of plant seeds. Conjugated forms of these compounds are soluble in water, and therefore, are easily released as chemical signals following imbibition. Once in the soil, these metabolites are first in line to serve as eco-sensing signals for suitable rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal partners required for the establishment of symbiotic mutualisms. They may also serve as defence molecules against pathogens and insect pests, as well as playing a role in the control of parasitic members of the family Scrophulariaceae, especially Striga, a major plant pest of cereal crops in Africa. Seed metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, peptides and amino acids define seedling growth and, ultimately, crop yields. Thus, an improvement in our understanding of seed chemistry would permit manipulation of these molecules for effective control of pathogens, insect pests, Striga and destructive weeds, as well as for enhanced acquisition of N and P via symbioses with soil rhizobia and AM fungi.

scholarly journals The Gram-Positive Bacterium Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides Shows Insecticidal Activity against Drosophilid and Aphid Pests

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 471
Author(s):  
Nils Hiebert ◽  
Tobias Kessel ◽  
Marisa Skaljac ◽  
Marius Spohn ◽  
Andreas Vilcinskas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Drosophila Suzukii ◽  
The Family ◽  
Leuconostoc Pseudomesenteroides ◽  
Living Bacteria

Insect pests reduce global crop yields by up to 20%, but the most effective control measures are currently based on environmentally hazardous chemical pesticides. An alternative, ecologically beneficial pest-management strategy involves the use of microbial pathogens (or active compounds and extracts derived from them) that naturally target selected insect pests. A novel strain of the bacterium Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides showed promising activity in our preliminary tests. Here, we investigated its effects in more detail, focusing on drosophilid and aphid pests by testing the survival of two species representing the family Drosophilidae (Drosophila suzukii and D. melanogaster) and one representing the family Aphididae (Acyrthosiphon pisum). We used oral and septic infection models to administer living bacteria or cell-free extracts to adult flies and aphid nymphs. We found that infection with living bacteria significantly reduced the survival of our insect models, whereas the administration of cell-free extracts had a significant effect only in aphids. These results confirm that L. pseudomesenteroides has potential as a new biocontrol agent for sustainable pest management.

scholarly journals Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi favor invasive Echinops sphaerocephalus when grown in competition with native Inula conyzae

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika Řezáčová ◽  
Milan Řezáč ◽  
Hana Gryndlerová ◽  
Gail W. T. Wilson ◽  
Tereza Michalová
Keyword(s):  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizae ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Mycorrhizal Networks ◽  
The Family ◽  
Globalized World

AbstractIn a globalized world, plant invasions are common challenges for native ecosystems. Although a considerable number of invasive plants form arbuscular mycorrhizae, interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and invasive and native plants are not well understood. In this study, we conducted a greenhouse experiment examining how AM fungi affect interactions of co-occurring plant species in the family Asteracea, invasive Echinops sphaerocephalus and native forb of central Europe Inula conyzae. The effects of initial soil disturbance, including the effect of intact or disturbed arbuscular mycorrhizal networks (CMNs), were examined. AM fungi supported the success of invasive E. sphaerocephalus in competition with native I. conyzae, regardless of the initial disturbance of CMNs. The presence of invasive E. sphaerocephalus decreased mycorrhizal colonization in I. conyzae, with a concomitant loss in mycorrhizal benefits. Our results confirm AM fungi represent one important mechanism of plant invasion for E. sphaerocephalus in semi-natural European grasslands.

scholarly journals The effect of mycorrhizal seed treatments on rice growth, yield, and tolerance to insect herbivores

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Bernaola ◽  
Michael J. Stout
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Plant Tolerance ◽  
Seed Treatments ◽  
Lissorhoptrus Oryzophilus ◽  
Nutrient Contents

Abstract Associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can increase or decrease plant resistance to herbivory in different crop systems, but the effects of AM fungi on plant tolerance to pests remain largely unknown. We investigated whether inoculation of rice (Oryza sativa) with AM fungi stimulates plant growth, yield, and/or tolerance to rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus) injury. Rice plants were exposed to natural infestations of herbivores during early and mid-to-late season over four field experiments. The experiments followed a 2 × 2 factorial design consisting of two AM fungi seed treatments (inoculated or non-inoculated with AM fungi) and two insecticide seed treatments (treated or untreated). Inoculation with AM fungi increased root colonization in all four field experiments in rice. Inoculation with AM fungi increased densities of weevil larvae and whiteheads resulting from stemborer infestations, while insecticidal seed treatments significantly reduced densities of weevils and marginally reduced whiteheads. Inoculation with AM fungi increased rice biomass before and after flooding, and a clear but not always significant increase in yield was observed in plants inoculated with AM fungi. However, inoculation with AM fungi did not reduce percent yield losses after herbivory injury. Analyses of nutrient contents in roots and shoots revealed inconsistent effects of inoculation with AM fungi. This study highlights for the first time the potential for AM fungi seed treatments to increase rice tolerance to insect pests by influencing plant biomass and yields.

scholarly journals Diversity and structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal commmunities and their chemical drivers across dryland habitats in Qatar

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakeenah Adenan ◽  
Jane Oja ◽  
Juha Alatalo ◽  
Amjad Shraim ◽  
Mohammed Hussain Alsafran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Soil Environment ◽  
The Family ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Fungal Assemblages ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal

Qatar is largely characterized by a hyper-arid climate and low soil fertility, which combine to create a stressful soil environment for arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Here we present a study on AM fungi communities and their relationship to soil chemical characteristics. We used high-throughput seqeuncing technique for identifying AM fungal diversity and community composition from different habitat types across Qatar. We found 127 AM fungal taxa, of which majority wee members of the family Glomeraceae. In contrast to what was hypothesized, AM fungi were mainly influenced by soil phosphorous and potassium. Chemical soil properties explained 76% of the variation in AM fungi between locations. The lowest AM fungal diversity was observed in barren areas and sand dunes, possibly due to low bioavailability of total nitrogen, while the highest diversity was observed in well-developed grass patches. Present AM fungi in Qatar were not affected by soil and pH; these fungi have likely been exposed to high salinities through their evolutionary history in the region, favoring resistant AM fungi through natural selection. These findings provide baseline information on AM fungal assemblages from the Arabian Peninsula, and thus contribute to better understanding of global patterns of AM fungi and their chemical drivers.

Emergence of New Potential Insect Pests of Date Palm: Could Climate Change Be the Reason?

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 242-245
Author(s):  
Hamadttu A. F. El-Shafie
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Date Palm ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
South American ◽  
Palm Fruit ◽  
The Family ◽  
American Palm ◽  
Sorghum Chafer

Four insect species were reported as new potential pests of date palm in recent years. They are sorghum chafer (Pachnoda interrupta), the rose chafer (Potosia opaca), the sericine chafer beetle (Maladera insanablis), and the South American palm borer (Pysandisia archon). The first three species belong to the order Coleoptera and the family Scarabaeidae, while the fourth species is a lepidopteran of the family Castniidae. The injury as well as the economic damage caused by the four species on date palm need to be quantified. Due to climate change and anthropogenic activities, the date palm pest complex is expected to change in the future. To the author's knowledge, this article provides the first report of sorghum chafer as a pest damaging date palm fruit.

scholarly journals Tracking of Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticle Effects on Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Plant Growth, Pigments, Mineral Content and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 583
Author(s):  
Reda E. Abdelhameed ◽  
Nagwa I. Abu-Elsaad ◽  
Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef ◽  
Rabab A. Metwally
Keyword(s):  
Pisum Sativum ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Zinc Ferrite ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Nanocrystalline Structure ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Agricultural Applications ◽  
The Impact

Important gaps in knowledge remain regarding the potential of nanoparticles (NPs) for plants, particularly the existence of helpful microorganisms, for instance, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi present in the soil. Hence, more profound studies are required to distinguish the impact of NPs on plant growth inoculated with AM fungi and their role in NP uptake to develop smart nanotechnology implementations in crop improvement. Zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) NPs are prepared via the citrate technique and defined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as transmission electron microscopy for several physical properties. The analysis of the XRD pattern confirmed the creation of a nanocrystalline structure with a crystallite size equal to 25.4 nm. The effects of ZnFe2O4 NP on AM fungi, growth and pigment content as well as nutrient uptake of pea (Pisum sativum) plants were assessed. ZnFe2O4 NP application caused a slight decrease in root colonization. However, its application showed an augmentation of 74.36% and 91.89% in AM pea plant shoots and roots’ fresh weights, respectively, compared to the control. Moreover, the synthesized ZnFe2O4 NP uptake by plant roots and their contents were enhanced by AM fungi. These findings suggest the safe use of ZnFe2O4 NPs in nano-agricultural applications for plant development with AM fungi.

scholarly journals Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis facilitates apricot seedling (Prunus sibirica L.) growth and photosynthesis in northwest China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinli Bi ◽  
Linlin Xie ◽  
Zhigang Wang ◽  
Kun Wang ◽  
Wenwen Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Shaanxi Province ◽  
Mycorrhizal Symbiosis ◽  
Seedling Physiology ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Seedling Biomass ◽  
Experimental Treatments

AbstractArbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can successfully enhance photosynthesis (Pn) and plants growth in agricultural or grassland ecosystems. However, how the symbionts affect species restoration in sunlight-intensive areas remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study’s objective was to assess the effect of AM fungi on apricot seedling physiology, within a specific time period, in northwest China. In 2010, an experimental field was established in Shaanxi Province, northwest China. The experimental treatments included two AM fungi inoculation levels (0 or 100 g of AM fungal inoculum per seedling), three shade levels (1900, 1100, and 550 µmol m−2 s−1), and three ages (1, 3, and 5 years) of transplantation. We examined growth, Pn, and morphological indicators of apricot (Prunus sibirica L.) seedling performances in 2011, 2013, and 2015. The colonization rate in mycorrhizal seedlings with similar amounts of shade is higher than the corresponding controls. The mycorrhizal seedling biomass is significantly higher than the corresponding non-mycorrhizal seedling biomass. Generally, Pn, stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and water use efficiency are also significantly higher in the mycorrhizal seedlings. Moreover, mycorrhizal seedlings with light shade (LS) have the highest Pn. WUE is increased in non-mycorrhizal seedlings because of the reduction in Tr, while Tr is increased in mycorrhizal seedlings with shade. There is a significant increase in the N, P, and K fractions detected in roots compared with shoots. This means that LS had apparent benefits for mycorrhizal seedlings. Our results also indicate that AM fungi, combined with LS, exert a positive effect on apricot behavior.

scholarly journals Extraction of short chain chitooligosaccharides from fungal biomass and their use as promoters of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Crosino ◽  
Elisa Moscato ◽  
Marco Blangetti ◽  
Gennaro Carotenuto ◽  
Federica Spina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Biomass ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Trichoderma Viride ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Short Chain ◽  
Mycorrhizal Symbiosis ◽  
Major Interest

AbstractShort chain chitooligosaccharides (COs) are chitin derivative molecules involved in plant-fungus signaling during arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) interactions. In host plants, COs activate a symbiotic signalling pathway that regulates AM-related gene expression. Furthermore, exogenous CO application was shown to promote AM establishment, with a major interest for agricultural applications of AM fungi as biofertilizers. Currently, the main source of commercial COs is from the shrimp processing industry, but purification costs and environmental concerns limit the convenience of this approach. In an attempt to find a low cost and low impact alternative, this work aimed to isolate, characterize and test the bioactivity of COs from selected strains of phylogenetically distant filamentous fungi: Pleurotus ostreatus, Cunninghamella bertholletiae and Trichoderma viride. Our optimized protocol successfully isolated short chain COs from lyophilized fungal biomass. Fungal COs were more acetylated and displayed a higher biological activity compared to shrimp-derived COs, a feature that—alongside low production costs—opens promising perspectives for the large scale use of COs in agriculture.

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