Effects of interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria on the growth of Lotus corniculatus L.: From the perspective of regulating rhizosphere fungal community

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide essential nutrients to crops and are affected by fertilizers. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB), and AMF have mutually beneficial relationships with plants, but the effects of their interactions on plant growth by regulating rhizosphere fungal community have not been sufficiently studied. In this study, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the interactions between AMF and bacteria (PSB and NFB) on the growth of Lotus corniculatus L. Specifically, the role of rhizosphere fungal community in the growth of Lotus corniculatus L. was explored using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that combined inoculation of AMF with PSB and NFB increased plant biomass, plant height, and fungal colonization rate. The richness, complexity, and stability of rhizosphere fungal community also increased after combined inoculation of AMF with PSB and/or NFB, particularly with PSB. In addition, combined inoculation of AMF with PSB and NFB enriched the abundance of beneficial microorganisms, with Chaetomium and Humicola showing the greatest alterations. The structural equation model showed that the interactions of AMF with PSB and NFB promoted plant growth by affecting fungal network structure and soil enzyme activities involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. These findings provide evidence for the effects of interactions of AMF with PSB and NFB on rhizosphere fungal community and plant growth.     

丛枝菌根真菌促进植物摄取土壤磷的作用机制

磷在土壤中易被固定沉淀,在植物磷利用率低的情况下,过度施肥会造成磷肥浪费,可能通过地表径流、地下水溶解等方式,造成水体富营养化产生面源污染,对人类生产生活造成较大影响。丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF)和植物结合所形成的共生菌根可以显著增强植株对磷的吸收利用。通过AMF可以提高宿主植株对磷的吸收转运的特性,从AMF促进植株对磷元素的摄取机制、AMF促进植物磷摄取分子机理、AMF作用下根系分泌物对植株磷利用的影响与根际微生物对AMF磷元素利用的影响4个方面的研究进展进行分析总结。AMF可以通过改变宿主植株的根系形态和菌丝网络的形成,扩大植株对养分吸收范围;释放有机酸、磷酸酶和质子等根系分泌物改变土壤结构和理化性质,与根际微生物共同作用降解土壤中难溶性磷酸盐;诱导相关磷转运蛋白基因的特异性表达,提高植株对磷的转运能力而促进其吸收。     

低磷环境下接种丛枝菌根真菌促进紫花苜蓿生长和磷素吸收的机理

[目的]磷极易被土壤吸附和固定,导致土壤中磷有效性较低.研究接种丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF)和低磷处理两者交互对紫花苜蓿生长和磷吸收的影响,为提高碱性土壤中磷肥利用率提供理论依据.[方法]以黄绵土和紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)为试验材料进行盆栽试验.在施...     

模拟矿区复垦接种丛枝菌根缓解伤根对玉米生长影响

针对煤炭开采过程中地表塌陷造成植物根系损伤问题,通过人为伤根模拟煤炭开采造成植物根系受损的盆栽试验,以玉米为宿主植物,矿区退化土壤为供试基质,研究接种丛枝菌根真菌对根系受损玉米生长的缓解作用。结果表明,玉米根系受损条件下,接种丛枝菌根真菌缓解了伤根对玉米生长造成的不利影响,促进了玉米的生长,接菌组玉米干质量平均每株要比对照组高出9.74 g。强化接种菌根真菌提高了玉米对土壤中矿质元素的吸收,增加了受损玉米根际土壤中球囊霉素和有机质含量,接菌组玉米根际土壤中总球囊霉素和有机质含量分别比对照组高出48.1%和24.5%。接种菌根改善了玉米根际微环境,有利于矿区退化土壤改良和培肥。通过研究菌根真菌对根系受损植物生长效应,为采煤塌陷区土地复垦与生态重建提供技术支撑。     

土地利用方式对酸性红壤丛枝菌根真菌群落的影响

为了研究土地利用方式对酸性红壤丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF)群落的影响,调查了酸性红壤4种土地利用方式(草地、玉米、花生和大豆)下非根际和根际土壤AMF群落多样性和组成结构。结果表明：土地利用方式显著影响了AMF群落优势属球囊霉属(Glomus)和巨孢囊霉属(Paraglomus)的相对丰度,但是根际作用影响不明显。土地利用方式而非根际作用显著影响了AMF群落香农指数和物种丰富度,其中大豆地表现出最低的香农指数和物种丰富度。土地利用方式和根际作用都显著影响AMF群落组成结构,但是土地利用方式的作用强度明显高于根际作用。球囊霉属主要解释了不同土地利用方式之间的AMF群落组成差异。土壤p H是影响土壤AMF群落结构的最关键因子。因此,土地利用方式比根际作用表现出对酸性红壤AMF群落更大的影响,展现了土地利用变化在影响土壤AMF群落方面的重要作用。     

丛枝菌根与植物寄生性线虫相互作用及抗性机制

丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF)能够与大多数陆地植物互惠共生,促进植物对养分的吸收,提高植物对各种生物和非生物胁迫的抗逆性,对植物健康生长有重要的作用。在土壤中丛枝菌根真菌与植物寄生性线虫共同依靠寄主植物根系完成生命循环,但二者对寄主植物作用完全相反,引起研究者广泛兴趣,成为菌根研究的热点和焦点之一。本文分析了丛植菌根真菌与植物寄生线虫的相互作用,并探讨了菌根提高植物对线虫抗性的可能机制:菌根真菌改善植物的生长和营养状况、改变植物根系形态结构、影响根系分泌物和根际微生物区系、诱导寄主植物产生防御反应等,旨在深入挖掘丛枝菌根真菌的生物学功能,进一步发挥其在农业生产中的应用潜力。     

丛枝菌根真菌在农业生产中的作用与调控

AM真菌在集约化作物生产体系中的作用日益受到关注。最近10余年间有关AM真菌与植物相互作用的研究由温室、实验室模拟转向田间原位研究,在认识上取得了很大的进展。通过对相关的理论和应用基础研究结果的分析,认为菌根生物技术的应用不仅包括菌剂的生产和施用技术,而且还要包括土著AM真菌群落繁殖体数量和活性的调节技术;通过轮作和间作、少耕或者免耕、使用根际化学信号物质能够在一定程度上有效发挥土著AM真菌群落的作用;充分认识AM真菌群落的时空变化与生态功能的关系可能是今后研究的重点;此外,通过与育种家结合,培育在高肥力土壤上积极响应AM真菌的作物高产品种可能是未来提高土壤养分资源高效利用的有效途径之一。     

褪黑素调控根系生长和根际互作的机制研究进展

【目的】根系生长和根际互作是影响植物对土壤养分吸收的关键因子。根系在土壤中穿插生长,不断改变其形态可塑性,进而改变根系构型,扩大与土壤的接触面积以获取所需养分。同时根系的生理可塑性协同根系形态可塑性显著影响根际互作效应,为植物经济高效获取养分资源提供可能。探究褪黑素等内源生长调节因子对根系形态和生理可塑性的调控机制,揭示通过最大化根际效应强化根际互作的有效途径,对集约化作物体系提高养分利用效率,促进绿色增产增效,具有重要的理论与实践意义。主要进展褪黑素作为新型植物生长调节信号分子,在盐害、干旱和低温等非生物胁迫中具有增强植物抗逆性、改善植物生长等重要调节作用。褪黑素显著改变根系生长,对植物主根生长主要表现为抑制作用,对侧根及不定根的发育和生长具有浓度依赖性调节,从而深刻影响植物根系构型。褪黑素调控根系生长的机制尚不清楚,总结已有进展表明:一方面褪黑素调节光周期,影响光合产物的运输和糖信号,从而调控地下部碳分配和根系生长;另一方面,褪黑素还能与生长素等植物激素互作,参与激素对植物生长调控的信号通路,从而对植物的生长发育和新陈代谢产生影响。这些进展对深入揭示褪黑素调控根系生长发育的机制提供了重要依据。问题与展望根系的生长发育以及根系构型的改变显著影响根际过程和根际互作,褪黑素作为调控因子在不同养分环境条件下显著影响根系的形态可塑性。然而,褪黑素在根际过程和根际互作中的作用机制并不清楚,有关研究亟待加强。深入探究褪黑素参与根际互作的机制,理解褪黑素调控根系生长和根际过程的作用途径,可为集约化农业体系下精准调控作物根系生长,强化根际互作,提高养分利用效率提供科学依据。     

丛枝菌根真菌对金叶六道木镉吸收及根际真菌群落结构的影响

为明确丛枝菌根(AM)真菌对促进绿化苗木镉(Cd)吸收的影响,通过盆栽试验比较接种不同AM真菌对12种绿化苗木Cd吸收的差异,并进一步分析接种对金叶六道木根际微生物数量和AM真菌群落结构的影响.结果表明,12种绿化苗木,加Cd处理6个月后,其叶片浓度的变化范围为0.25～2.59 mg·kg–1.接种AM真菌处理组的叶...     

Community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with Robinia pseudoacacia in uncontaminated and heavy metal contaminated soils

The significance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in soil remediation has been widely recognized because of their ability to promote plant growth and increase phytoremediation efficiency in heavy metal (HM) polluted soils by improving plant nutrient absorption and by influencing the fate of the metals in the plant and soil. However, the symbiotic functions of AMF in remediation of polluted soils depend on plant–fungus–soil combinations and are greatly influenced by environmental conditions. To better understand the adaptation of plants and the related mycorrhizae to extreme environmental conditions, AMF colonization, spore density and community structure were analyzed in roots or rhizosphere soils of Robinia pseudoacacia. Mycorrhization was compared between uncontaminated soil and heavy metal contaminated soil from a lead–zinc mining region of northwest China. Samples were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) screening with AMF-specific primers (NS31 and AM1), and sequencing of rRNA small subunit (SSU). The phylogenetic analysis revealed 28 AMF group types, including six AMF families: Glomeraceae, Claroideoglomeraceae, Diversisporaceae, Acaulosporaceae, Pacisporaceae, and Gigasporaceae. Of all AMF group types, six (21%) were detected based on spore samples alone, four (14%) based on root samples alone, and five (18%) based on samples from root, soil and spore. Glo9 (Rhizophagus intraradices), Glo17 (Funneliformis mosseae) and Acau3 (Acaulospora sp.) were the three most abundant AMF group types in the current study. Soil Pb and Zn concentrations, pH, organic matter content, and phosphorus levels all showed significant correlations with the AMF species compositions in root and soil samples. Overall, the uncontaminated sites had higher species diversity than sites with heavy metal contamination. The study highlights the effects of different soil chemical parameters on AMF colonization, spore density and community structure in contaminated and uncontaminated sites. The tolerant AMF species isolated and identified from this study have potential for application in phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated areas.     

间作小麦和接种AM真菌协同提高蚕豆抗枯萎病能力和根际微生物碳代谢活性

【目的】接种丛枝菌根 (arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM) 真菌和间作均是防治蚕豆枯萎病的有效方法,从土壤微生物学角度研究两者协同减轻蚕豆枯萎病的机理,对控制蚕豆枯萎病传播具有重要意义。【方法】利用盆栽试验方法,进行了间作和接种AM真菌摩西管柄囊霉 (Funneliformis mosseae,Fm) 和扭形球囊霉 (Glomus tortuosum,Gt) 试验。设蚕豆单作对照 (MF)、蚕豆小麦间作 (IF)、蚕豆单作接种Fm (MFFm)、蚕豆小麦间作接种Fm (IFFm)、蚕豆单作接种Gt (MFGt)、蚕豆小麦间作接种Gt (IFGt) 6个处理。于蚕豆开花期 (生长70天) 取土壤样品,测定蚕豆幼苗生长、枯萎病发生、根际镰刀菌数量和微生物碳代谢活性。【结果】间作显著增加蚕豆幼苗干重93.0%、降低蚕豆枯萎病病情指数71.4%,接菌显著增加蚕豆幼苗干重55.3%、降低病情指数76.6%,其中接种Fm真菌对蚕豆幼苗干重的影响更大,对病情指数的抑制效果更好。间作接菌显著增加蚕豆幼苗干重100%、降低病情指数89.8%。Biolog微平板测试结果显示,间作提高根际微生物碳代谢活性32.3%;接菌提高微生物活性85.4%;间作接菌提高微生物活性122%。主成分分析结果表明,间作和接菌均明显改变了根际微生物的群落结构,并主要改变了对碳水化合物类、氨基酸和羧酸类碳源的利用。相关性分析结果显示,枯萎病发病率和病情指数与根际镰刀菌数量呈极显著正相关关系,与AWCD值、Shannon多样性指数和丰富度指数均呈极显著负相关。【结论】蚕豆与小麦间作和接菌对抑制蚕豆枯萎病和促进蚕豆生长均具有积极效应,间作显著提高了AM真菌的定殖率,二者协同提高了根际微生物活性,改变了微生物群落结构,并抑制了病原菌增殖,进而控制蚕豆枯萎病发生。     

磷肥对酸性红壤上玉米不同部位丛枝菌根真菌群落的影响

为了研究不同磷肥水平下酸性红壤上玉米不同部位丛枝菌根真菌(Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF)群落多样性和组成结构,明确玉米不同部位AMF群落的分布特征及对磷肥的响应差别,为提高酸性红壤磷素利用提供理论依据。本实验设置三个磷肥水平：不施磷、低磷(25 mg P /kg)和高磷(100 mg P /kg),玉米培养4周后,测定玉米生物量和土壤理化性质,利用高通量测序技术检测玉米根部、根际和非根际土壤AMF群落结构和多样性。结果显示,随着磷肥水平增加,玉米生物量显著提高,高磷处理下玉米地上部磷含量显著高于不施磷和低磷处理。取样部位(根部、根际和非根际)显著影响了AMF群落优势属球囊霉属(Glomus)、巨孢囊霉属(Paraglomus)和近明球囊霉属(Claroideoglomus)相对丰度,但是磷肥影响不显著。类似的,取样部位而不是磷肥显著影响了AMF群落香农指数和物种丰富度。非度量多维标度(NMDS)结果显示,根部样品与非根际和根际土壤样品群落距离更远,而相同取样部位中不同磷肥水平间群落组成更为相似；置换多元方差分析(PERMANOVA)进一步表明,取样部位而不是磷肥显著影响了AMF群落组成结构,主要表现在根部样品与根际和非根际土壤不同。因此,酸性红壤上玉米不同部位对AMF群落的影响明显高于磷肥作用,表明AMF应用于酸性红壤时应重点考虑作物部位的特性。     

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate-solubilizing fungus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mortierella</Emphasis> sp.) and their effects on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kostelelzkya virginica</Emphasis> growth and enzyme activities of rhizosphere and bulk soils at different salinities

This study investigated the interactions between two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Glomus aggregatum and Glomus mosseae) and a P-solubilizing fungus (Mortierella sp.), with respect to their effects on growth of Kostelelzkya virginica and urease, invertase, neutral phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase activities of rhizosphere and bulk soils at different salinity levels (i.e., 0, 100, 200, and 300 mM NaCl). Percentage of AMF colonization, Mortierella sp. populations, pH, electrical conductivity, and available P concentration in soil were also determined. Combined inoculation of AMF and Mortierella sp. increased the percentage of AMF colonization and Mortierella sp. populations under salt stress (i.e., 100, 200, and 300 mM NaCl). The dual inoculation of Mortierella sp. with AMF (G. aggregatum or G. mosseae) had significant effects on shoot and root dry weights and available P concentrations, pH values, and electrical conductivities of rhizosphere and bulk soils under salt stress. The inoculation of Mortierella sp. significantly enhanced the positive effects of AMF on some enzyme activities (i.e., neutral phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase in bulk soil; neutral phosphatase and urease in rhizosphere soil); on the contrary, it produced negative effects on urease activities in bulk soil and invertase activities in bulk and rhizosphere soils. The results indicated that the most effective co-inoculation was the dual inoculation with Mortierella sp. and G. mosseae, which may help in alleviating the deleterious effects of salt on plants growth and soil enzyme activities.     

植物根际微生物调控根系构型研究

植物根系构型即根系在其生长介质中的生长与分布,包括根系长度、根系分支和根系生物量等,能够将植物固定在土壤中并有效吸收水分和矿质养分,直接影响植物的生长和发育。根系构型受多种因素的影响,包括土壤水分、养分和根际微生物,传统方式主要依靠化学肥料增加土壤养分进而改善根系生长,但是化学肥料会对环境造成危害,根际微生物作为植物的“第二基因组”,能够改善初生根、侧根和根毛的发育,促进植物的生长和根际养分吸收,近年来基因组学−代谢组学、基因组学−转录组学等多组学关联技术的应用揭示了微生物的促生机制,为微生物菌剂的开发提供了新思路。基于该领域的研究现状,本文阐述了根际微生物（AMF、PGPR、根瘤菌）对根构型的调控机制包括激素调控、固氮、溶磷、释放挥发性有机化合物四个方面,并描述它们通过这四种机制增加植物根系长度、根系分支,促进根毛发育的调控效应,基于上述结论,植物根际微生物可以有效改善根系生长,但实际应用效果还有待研究,量化不同机制的相对贡献率以及提高微生物菌剂在实际应用中的稳定性是后续研究的重点。     

Earthworms can modify effects of hydrochar on growth of Plantago lanceolata and performance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a method to produce carbonized material at relatively low temperatures (180–250 °C) under pressure and aqueous conditions. The product is called hydrochar and can be used as a soil amendment. However, applied in high dosages it may have detrimental effects on plants or soil biota. The potential impact of hydrochar amendment on beneficial soil organisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and earthworms and their interactions are not well understood. The goal of the present study was to determine effects of hydrochar on plant growth and soil biota and to evaluate interactions of earthworms and hydrochar on plant and AMF performance and to identify underlying mechanisms. In a greenhouse experiment, we investigated the effect of hydrochar at different addition rates (control, 1% and 10%, v/v) with or without the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa on the growth of Plantago lanceolata L. and the performance of its AMF. We observed a positive interaction between earthworms and 10% hydrochar on shoot and root biomass: added as a single treatment hydrochar had a negative effect on plant growth at this dosage, but plant biomass increased significantly when hydrochar was added together with earthworms. Root colonization by AMF increased significantly with increasing concentration of hydrochar, but was not affected by earthworms. Contrastingly, extraradical hyphal length of AMF was reduced by earthworms, but not affected by hydrochar. Thus, hydrochar and earthworms affected the performance of AMF, albeit of different AMF structures and in different directions. Our results indicate that earthworms may play an important role in alleviating the negative impacts of high dosages of hydrochar on plant growth; such interactions should move into focus of future research on potential effects of HTC materials.     

Additive and interactive effects of functionally dissimilar soil organisms on a grassland plant community

The productivity and diversity of plant communities are affected by soil organisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), root herbivores and decomposers. However, it is unknown how interactions between such functionally dissimilar soil organisms affect plant communities and whether the combined effects are additive or interactive. In a greenhouse experiment we investigated the individual and combined effects of AMF (five Glomus species), root herbivores (wireworms and nematodes) and decomposers (collembolans and enchytraeids) on the productivity and nutrient content of a model grassland plant community as well as on soil microbial biomass and community structure. The effects of the soil organisms on productivity (total plant biomass), total root biomass, grass and forb biomass, and nutrient uptake of the plant community were additive. AMF decreased, decomposers increased and root herbivores had no effect on productivity, but in combination the additive effects canceled each other out. AMF reduced total root biomass by 18%, but decomposers increased it by 25%, leading to no net effect on total root biomass in the combined treatments. Total shoot biomass was reduced by 14% by root herbivores and affected by an interaction between AMF and decomposers where decomposers had a positive impact on shoot growth only in presence of AMF. AMF increased the shoot biomass of forbs, but reduced the shoot biomass of grasses, while root herbivores only reduced the shoot biomass of grasses. Interactive effects of the soil organisms were detected on the shoot biomasses of Lotus corniculatus, Plantago lanceolata, and Agrostis capillaris. The C/N ratio of the plant community was affected by AMF.In soil, AMF promoted abundances of bacterial, actinomycete, saprophytic and AMF fatty acid markers. Decomposers alone decreased bacterial and actinomycete fatty acids abundances but when decomposers were interacting with herbivores those abundances were increased. Our results suggests that at higher resolutions, i.e. on the levels of individual plant species and the microbial community, interactive effects are common but do not affect the overall productivity and nutrient uptake of a grassland plant community, which is mainly affected by additive effects of functionally dissimilar soil organisms.     

Contribution of exudates,arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and litter depositions to the rhizosphere priming effect induced by grassland species

The presence of plants induces strong accelerations in soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization by stimulating soil microbial activity – a phenomenon known as the rhizosphere priming effect (RPE). The RPE could be induced by several mechanisms including root exudates, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and root litter. However the contribution of each of these to rhizosphere priming is unknown due to the complexity involved in studying rhizospheric processes. In order to determine the role of each of these mechanisms, we incubated soils enclosed in nylon meshes that were permeable to exudates, or exudates & AMF or exudates, AMF and roots under three grassland plant species grown on sand. Plants were continuously labeled with ¹³C depleted CO₂ that allowed distinguishing plant-derived CO₂ from soil-derived CO₂. We show that root exudation was the main way by which plants induced RPE (58–96% of total RPE) followed by root litter. AMF did not contribute to rhizosphere priming under the two species that were significantly colonized by them i.e. Poa trivialis and Trifolium repens. Root exudates and root litter differed with respect to their mechanism of inducing RPE. Exudates induced RPE without increasing microbial biomass whereas root litter increased microbial biomass and raised the RPE mediating saprophytic fungi. The RPE efficiency (RPE/unit plant-C assimilated into microbes) was 3–7 times higher for exudates than for root litter. This efficiency of exudates is explained by a microbial allocation of fresh carbon to mineralization activity rather than to growth. These results suggest that root exudation is the main way by which plants stimulated mineralization of soil organic matter. Moreover, the plants through their exudates not only provide energy to soil microorganisms but also seem to control the way the energy is used in order to maximize soil organic matter mineralization and drive their own nutrient supply.     

Mycorrhizal fungi increase biocontrol potential of Pseudomonas fluorescens

Wheat roots are susceptible to colonisation by soil-borne pathogens, such as Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt), which causes the globally important disease take-all, and mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Certain rhizosphere fluorescent Pseudomonas strains have received much attention as potential biocontrol agents given their ability to produce antibiotics, such as 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG), that confer a measure of plant protection. Here we show that Pseudomonas fluorescens only produced DAPG in the presence of soluble carbon from soil containing either Ggt or AMF, and production increased by two orders of magnitude in response to both AMF and Ggt. Encouragement of mycorrhizal colonisation may therefore offer a sustainable strategy for protection against take-all.     

Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal network in carbon and phosphorus transfer between plants

Intercropping with aerobic rice or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization alleviated watermelon wilt disease, which is likely attributed to rice root exudates or AMF depressing watermelon wilt pathogen. However, it is unclear whether rice root exudates transfers to watermelon rhizosphere soil and whether AMF affects the transfer of rice root exudates to watermelon rhizosphere soil. A rhizobox experiment, with aerobic rice under ¹⁴?CO₂, was conducted to investigate the effect of AMF colonization on carbon (C) transfer from rice to watermelon and on phosphorus (P) uptake by both watermelon and rice. The rhizobox was separated into labelling side (L side) and sampling side (S side) by inserting nylon mesh in the middle of the box. The L side was planted with aerobic rice, and the S side was aerobic rice (monocropping) or watermelon (intercropping). When ¹⁴?CO₂ was added to rice canopy at the L side, ¹⁴?C activities of rice roots and rhizosphere soils in the L side were increased by intercropping with watermelon or AMF colonization. The ¹⁴?C was detected in roots and rhizosphere soils of rice and watermelon in the S side, but no differences were found among different treatments. ¹⁴?C activities in leaves were improved by AMF inoculation in the S side, regardless of rice or watermelon. Mycorrhizal colonization stimulated P absorption and translocation to rice in intercropping system. These findings suggest that AMF colonization could increase C transfer from rice to watermelon while intercropping with watermelon could promote AMF colonization and P uptake by rice.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of a Mediterranean island (Pianosa), within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

In this work we have determined the community composition of spore-forming arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in a maquis site on Pianosa island, a protected area within the Tuscan Islands UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Italy. We have analysed rhizosphere soil of the dominant plant species Pistacia lentiscus, Smilax aspera, Rosmarinus officinalis and of the endemic plant Helichrysum litoreum. The AMF species recovered were: Scutellospora dipurpurescens, Glomus coronatum, Glomus mosseae, Glomus etunicatum, Glomus geosporum, Glomus viscosum, Entrophospora sp., Pacispora sp. and Glomus rubiforme. The identification of native S. dipurpurescens and G. coronatum was carried out on spores isolated from rhizosphere soil of H. litoreum, by combining morphological traits and 18S (SSU) and ITS rDNA sequences. Therefore, AMF species of Pianosa rhizosphere soils represent an important repository for the conservation and maintenance in their natural habitat of such beneficial symbionts, key microorganisms of soil fertility.