甘蔗宿根矮化病感病与非感病株根际土壤生物学性状及细菌群落结构特征

[目的]比较甘蔗宿根矮化病(ratoon stunting disease,RSD)感病植株与非感病植株根际土壤的生物学性状及细菌群落结构特征,旨在为构建甘蔗健康的根际微环境,筛选高效RSD生防细菌提供参考。[方法]通过田间调查和实验室鉴定,以甘蔗RSD感病植株为试材,非感病植株为对照,采集甘蔗RSD感病植株和非感病植株的根际土壤,并基于传统和现代高通量测序技术,分析了甘蔗RSD感病植株和非感病植株根际土壤的生物学性状和细菌群落结构特征。[结果]与甘蔗RSD非感病植株相比,感病植株根际土壤中指示土壤肥力与健康状况的生物学性状指标β-葡糖苷酶、磷酸酶和氨肽酶活性,以及微生物生物量碳、氮、磷显著降低;同时,指示细菌丰富度的Chao1指数和指示细菌多样性的Shannon指数显著下降。门分类水平与非感病甘蔗植株相比,RSD感病植株根际土壤中Proteobacteria(变形杆菌门)、Actinobacteria(放线菌门)、Gemmatimonadetes(芽单胞菌门)和Nitrospirae(硝化螺旋菌门)等优势门类细菌占比呈倍级降低,但Chloroflexi(绿弯菌门)、Acidobacteria(酸杆菌门)、Firmicutes(厚壁菌门)、Cyanobacteria(蓝细菌门)、Planctomycetes(浮霉菌门)、Bacteroidetes(拟杆菌门)等优势门类细菌占比呈倍级增加;在属分类水平,与非感病甘蔗植株相比,RSD感病植株根际土壤中Xanthobacteraceae(黄色杆菌属)、Acidothermus、Gaiellales、Roseiflexus(玫瑰菌属)、Micromonosporaceae(小单孢菌属)和Nitrospira(硝化螺旋菌属)细菌占比呈倍级降低,但Acidobacteria(嗜酸菌属)细菌及部分未知菌属却呈倍级提高。[结论]甘蔗RSD感病植株根际微环境中指示土壤肥力的生物学指标显著降低,细菌丰富度和多样性显著下降,部分优势细菌门属占比发生剧变可能是导致甘蔗RSD发生的重要原因。     

连续水旱轮作对水稻冷浸田土壤细菌群落结构的影响

利用高通量测序技术,采用单季稻-冬闲(CK)、油菜-水稻(R-R)、春玉米-水稻(C-R)、紫云英-水稻(M-R)和蚕豆-水稻(B-R)五个处理探究水旱轮作模式对水稻冷浸田土壤细菌群落结构的影响,同时分析了土壤理化因子与细菌群落结构的关系。结果表明:水旱轮作能够显著增加水稻产量18%~44%。与CK相比,绝大多数水旱轮作降低了土壤细菌的丰富度,而细菌多样性与CK处理无显著差异。变形菌门和酸杆菌门为土壤中的优势细菌类群,其中变形菌门的丰度最高。与CK相比,轮作后酸杆菌、放线菌、硝化螺旋菌、慢生根瘤菌和亚硝化螺菌等参与碳氮循环的菌群丰度明显增加。聚类分析表明CK和M-R轮作土壤细菌群落单独聚为一类,而B-R、C-R和R-R轮作土壤聚为另一类。冗余分析表明土壤全磷、有效磷和p H是影响水旱轮作土壤细菌群落结构的主要因子。     

双季稻田冬闲期土壤细菌数量及结构对施氮的响应

[目的]研究不同施氮水平对湖南双季稻区冬闲期土壤细菌结构与数量的影响,为双季稻区水稻可持续生产提供理论依据。[方法]依托湖南省双季稻区连续8年的定位试验,选取3个氮肥水平处理:CK(不施氮肥)、N1(施N 100 kg/hm^2)、N2(施N 200 kg/hm^2),取稻田冬闲期5—20 cm耕层土样,采用高通量测序和荧光定量PCR方法测定了土壤细菌数量与结构。[结果]与CK相比,N1、N2处理显著增加了双季稻产量,提升了冬闲期土壤总氮、全碳含量,降低了土壤pH、硝态氮及碳氮比(P<0.05)。N1和N2处理的细菌16s rDNA基因拷贝数分别为CK的48.25和40.31倍。施氮显著增加土壤总细菌丰度,土壤细菌丰度与土壤全氮、碳氮比呈显著正相关,与土壤全碳呈显著负相关。施氮改变了冬闲期稻田土壤细菌的多样性及群落结构。与CK相比,N1处理提高了稻田土壤微生物多样性;N2处理显著增加稻田土壤细菌丰富度,但显著降低稻田土壤细菌多样性。此外,3个处理土壤菌群相对丰度最高的是Proteobacteria(变形菌门),达40.16%~51.16%。N2处理的变形菌门相对丰度显著高于CK与N1,N1处理的变形菌门相对丰度显著低于CK。3个处理属水平细菌相对丰度较高的是Anaerolineaceae_uncultured(厌氧绳菌属)和Nitrospira(硝化螺旋菌属),其相对丰度分别为8.6%~14.56%和8.16%~11.46%。Spearman相关性分析显示,11个优势门菌群数量均与土壤化学性质存在显著相关性。稻田11个优势菌群的数量与土壤化学性质显著相关。[结论]湖南双季稻区施氮降低冬闲期稻田土壤pH和C/N比,低施氮水平可增加稻田微生物多样性,高施氮量虽然增加稻田细菌丰富度,但降低了微生物多样性。     

黄河三角洲刺槐根际与非根际细菌结构及多样性

为精确分析黄河三角洲刺槐根际与非根际土壤细菌群落定殖情况,本研究采用高通量测序方法对刺槐根际与非根际土壤细菌结构及多样性进行了研究。研究表明,根际土壤细菌共有36门214属,非根际土壤细菌共有33门153属。变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)细菌丰度超过15%,是根际与非根际土壤中的优势菌落。根际与非根际土壤中酸杆菌门、硝化螺旋菌门(Nitrospirae)丰度差异显著。根际土壤中红游动菌属(Rhodoplanes)、溶杆菌属(Lysobacter)、热单胞菌属(Thermomonas)、链霉菌属(Streptomyces)及非根际土壤中红游动菌属、溶杆菌属、链霉菌属、Kaistobacter细菌丰度超过4%。根际土壤中固氮菌丰度显著高于非根际土壤,解磷、解钾细菌丰度差异不显著。根际与非根际土壤细菌Chao丰富度分别为2 054、2 376,差异显著。根际与非根际土壤细菌之间的权重(Weighted Unifrac)距离在0.12~0.25之间。综上所述,黄河三角洲刺槐根际与非根际土壤细菌结构具有一定差异,多样性差异显著。     

绿肥配施化肥对岩溶区水稻土壤细菌群落结构的影响

  【目的】  研究绿肥翻压对岩溶区稻田土壤养分状况和土壤细菌群落特征的影响,为岩溶区绿肥替代化肥提供理论依据和数据支撑。  【方法】  绿肥–水稻轮作田间试验连续进行了3年,供试绿肥为紫云英(桂紫7号)。试验共设置3个处理:单施化肥(CK)、单种绿肥(MV)和绿肥配施化肥(MF)。利用Illumina Novaseq PE250高通量测序技术测定了0—20 cm土壤细菌群落,分析了施肥方式对岩溶区水稻土壤细菌群落多样性和群落特征及共现网络模式的影响。  【结果】  与CK相比,MV和MF处理增加了土壤有机碳、全氮和碱解氮含量,降低了土壤pH、速效钾含量和C/N值。不同施肥处理的稻田土壤细菌多样性指数均无显著性差异。岩溶区稻田土壤优势细菌菌群为绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、硝化螺旋菌门(Nitrospirae)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)等。在属水平上,地杆菌属(Geobacter)、厌氧绳菌属(Anaerolinea)、RBG-16-58-14等为岩溶区石灰性稻田土壤的优势菌属。与CK相比,MF处理显著增加了新鞘脂菌属(Novosphingobium)、互养棍状菌属(Syntrophorhabdus)、苯基杆菌属(Phenylobacterium)的相对丰度,降低了脱硫酸盐菌属(Desulfatiglans)的相对丰度。共现网络分析表明,CK和MV处理的细菌共现网络结构相似,而MF处理增加了土壤细菌网络复杂性及变形菌门、拟杆菌门等富营养性细菌的相对丰度。RDA分析结果表明,土壤速效钾、交换性钙离子和全氮是影响土壤细菌群落组成变化的关键环境因子。  【结论】  绿肥翻压配施化肥,可提高土壤养分和富营养性细菌的相对丰度,效果优于单施化肥和单种绿肥处理,对于维持岩溶区稻田生态系统的可持续发展有重要意义。     

3种西兰花种植方式对根际土壤细菌群落结构和多样性的影响研究

为明确不同种植方式减缓西兰花的连作障碍,本研究采用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术,分析和比较了浙江省台州湾滨海滩涂地西兰花种植区单季稻-西兰花水旱轮作、南瓜-西兰花旱旱轮作和西兰花连作3种种植方式对西兰花根际土壤细菌群落结构和多样性的影响。结果表明,3种种植方式西兰花根际土壤共获得28门、92纲、167目、301科、691属土壤细菌。变形菌门、酸杆菌门、放线菌门、芽单胞菌门、拟杆菌门、绿湾菌门、蓝细菌门、厚壁菌门、硝化螺旋菌门、疣微菌门是台州湾滩涂围垦地西兰花根际土壤细菌相对丰度较高的优势菌群。水旱轮作能提高西兰花根际土壤细菌变形菌门、酸杆菌门和绿湾菌门的相对丰度,但降低了西兰花根际土壤细菌放线菌门、芽单胞菌门、拟杆菌门和蓝细菌门的相对丰度。多样性指数和丰富度指数均以水旱轮作为最高,其次是旱旱轮作,以西兰花连作的土壤多样性指数和丰富度指数最低。因此,与西兰花长期连作相比,水旱轮作和旱旱轮作均能改善台州湾滨海滩涂地区西兰花根际土壤细菌群落结构。水稻-西兰花水旱轮作更能增加西兰花根际土壤细菌有益菌丰度,提高其根际土壤细菌多样性指数,以改良西兰花根际生态环境。本研究结果为实现该区域西兰花优质高产栽培提供了理论和实践依据。     

寡糖对土壤微生物多样性及群落结构的调节作用

土壤微生物种群类型,对土壤质量和作物生长具有重要影响,研究寡糖对土壤微生物种群的影响特征,有助于正确、高效及安全使用寡糖。本研究利用人工气候室进行土壤培养,土壤施加50mg·L−1的壳寡糖（CSOS）和纤维寡糖（COS）溶液,以清水（CK）为对照处理,培养6d后取样,利用高通量测序技术,分析土壤微生物群落结构组成及多样性分布特征。结果表明：壳寡糖（CSOS）和纤维寡糖（COS）处理均显著改变细菌、真菌的群落结构,提高细菌的物种观测数。变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）、绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）、芽单胞菌门（Gemmatimonadetes）和拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）为优势细菌门,子囊菌门（Ascomycota）、担子菌门（Basidiomycota）和被孢霉门（Mortierellomycota）为优势真菌门。通过组间群落组成比较分析可知,壳寡糖（CSOS）和纤维寡糖（COS）处理均不同程度降低酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）的相对丰度,增加变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）、芽单胞菌门（Gemmatimonadetes）、壶菌门（Chytridiomycota）以及有益菌属溶杆菌属（Lysobacter）、硝化螺旋菌属（Nitrospira）、Haliangium、芽球菌属（Blastococcus）和链霉菌属（Streptomyces）的相对丰度,但与纤维寡糖（COS）相比,壳寡糖（CSOS）处理微生物群落组成的变化幅度更大。此外,壳寡糖（CSOS）和纤维寡糖（COS）处理在调节土壤微生物群落结构上存在一定差异。其中,壳寡糖（CSOS）处理有益菌属Talaromyces的相对丰度增加195%,纤维寡糖（COS）处理有益菌属假单胞菌属（Pseudomonas）的相对丰度增加215%。综上,壳寡糖和纤维寡糖处理均能优化土壤微生物群落的结构组成,其调控差异性有助于理解不同寡糖的调控机制,推动寡糖的应用与推广。     

基于宏基因组测序揭示不同施肥方式对茶园土壤微生物群落的季节性影响

为揭示不同施肥方式对茶园土壤微生物群落的季节性影响,采用宏基因组测序,比较分析了同一茶园习惯施肥(CF)、微生物有机肥配施控释复合肥(MC),在冬季至夏季3个时间点[11月14日(CF1、MC1)、3月1日(CF2、MC2)、5月15日(CF3、MC3)]的土壤微生物群落组成和结构。结果表明,共获得311211956条高质量测序数据和1763759个Unigenes。主成分和相关性分析表明,MC1和CF1的土壤微生物基因丰度聚为一类,其他独聚一类。不同季节,CF和MC的细菌、古菌、真菌分别占微生物总数的88%～89%、0.8%～2.0%、0.02%～0.10%;古菌数量逐渐增加,真菌数量先增加后降低。CF2、CF3的古菌数量分别高于MC2、MC3,而真菌数量相反;CF2、CF3的细菌、真菌丰度分别显著低于MC2、MC3,古菌丰度相反。MC1、MC2、MC3之间的细菌、古菌、真菌丰度存在显著差异,而CF1与CF3的真菌丰度接近。相较于CF,MC提高了土壤细菌中的变形菌门、放线菌门、芽单胞菌门、绿弯菌门、拟杆菌门、硝化螺旋菌门、装甲菌门相对丰度,降低了酸杆菌门、疣微菌门、浮霉菌门相对丰度;提高了古菌中的奇古菌门相对丰度,降低了广古菌门、泉古菌门、深古菌门相对丰度;提高了真菌中的毛霉门、捕虫霉门、隐真菌门相对丰度,降低了担子菌门相对丰度。总体上,CF和MC优势细菌门、优势古菌门、优势真菌门相对丰度的季节性变化趋势存在一定差异。茶园土壤微生物群落组成和结构呈现一定的季节性、施肥方式性变化规律;微生物有机肥配施控释复合肥可以提高土壤细菌丰度、真菌数量和丰度,降低古菌数量和丰度,改变土壤优势菌群的组成,为充分利用微生物资源、提高茶树养分利用率等提供了理论依据。     

山药根际土壤微生物16S rRNA多样性及影响因素

通过采集山药连作2年的植株根际土壤及根茎,采用高通量测序技术研究根际土壤细菌多样性,分析7个样本中菌群的组成、丰度、α多样性、β多样性、菌群差异性。采用典型相关分析(Canonical Correlation Analysis,CCA)分析优势菌群与土壤化学因子、根茎糖类物质的关系,探讨根际土壤中细菌群落与土壤化学指标、根茎糖类物质的相关性。结果表明:山药根际土壤细菌优势群落为变形菌、绿弯菌、酸杆菌、放线菌;土壤pH是影响细菌群落结构及分布的重要因子;酸杆菌和硝化螺旋菌与土壤中蔗糖酶、脲酶活性及总有机碳、碱解氮呈正相关,奇古菌和绿弯菌与土壤总有机碳、碱解氮呈正相关,土壤中碳、氮养分又与山药根茎中可溶性糖、粗多糖及淀粉呈正相关关系,说明这些微生态环境因子可能对山药根茎糖类物质积累有促进作用。     

黄河三角洲盐生植被演替与土壤细菌群落结构的关系

研究黄河三角洲光板地和4种盐生植被(翅碱蓬、獐茅、白茅和罗布麻)下土壤细菌群落组成,揭示其与盐生植被演替的关系。利用细菌16S r DNA基因文库方法,构建系统发育树,在5个文库中各挑选180个阳性克隆子进行序列测定,并对数据进行统计分析。从光板地、翅碱蓬、獐茅、白茅和罗布麻5个文库中分别得到121、132、150、159、155条有效序列。重盐土壤(翅碱蓬土壤、獐茅土壤)细菌有着最高的Shannon指数和最低的Simpson优势度指数。土壤中检测到变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)等,共8门。其中变形菌门在5种土样中相对丰度为21.06%,拟杆菌门为11.16%,其他细菌相对丰度皆未超过10%。5种覆被类型下土壤细菌在种群组成上差异明显,但均匀度与丰富度差异较小,变形菌为所研究5种土壤中的优势菌群。当盐生植被处于相同演替阶段时,土壤细菌群落结构具有更大相似性;在不同演替阶段时,土壤细菌群落结构差别较大。     

Polymorphism of high molecular weight glutenin subunits in three species of Aegilops

A collection of 136 accessions of Aegilops umbellulata (39), Ae. comosa (75) and Ae. markgrafii (22) was analysed for high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits composition. The homogeneity of the accessions was studied and 55.1% of the collection was homogeneous for HMW glutenin subunits (29 Ae. umbellulata, 33 Ae. comosa and 14 Ae. markgrafii). The HMW glutenin subunits of Ae. umbellulata are encoded by the Glu-U1 locus; in Ae. comosa results showed that this proteins are encoded at the 1M chromosome, and the locus was named Glu-M1. In Ae. markgrafii it was assumed that HMW glutenin subunits were encoded by an homoeologous locus and it was named Glu-C1. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and Ae. markgrafii expressed both, x-type and y-type subunits. Among the Ae. comosa accessions, only one expressed an x-type subunit alone. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and some of Ae. comosa had x-type glutenins of higher molecular weights than those commonly present in bread wheat. A total of 8 alleles were detected at the Glu-U1 locus, 11 at the Glu-M1 and 4 at the Glu-C1. The new HMW glutenin variation found in this work suggests their possible utilisation in breeding for wheat quality.     

Powdery Mildew Resistance in a Collection of Chinese Barley Varieties

One hundred and forty-seven Chinese barley varieties maintained at the Gene Bank of the National Barley Improvement Centre, Zhejiang, and 84 progenies from these varieties were tested at the seedling stage for their reaction to 32 selected pathotypes of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. Eighteen resistance spectra were identified comprising single or combined resistances from eight known (Ml(Bw), Ml(Ch), Mla7, Mla8, Mla9, Mla13, MlaRu4 and Mlg) and six unknown resistance genes. The most frequent gene was Ml(Bw), which was found in 69 varieties and previously detected in only a few European winter barley varieties. The genes Mla8 and Ml(Ch) were also often present, but other resistance genes were rare. After inoculation, considerably fewer pathogen colonies were observed in ‘Aiganqi’ and one line of ‘Tong5’. Twenty varieties were composed of lines with different resistance genes. China is likely to be a region of origin of the genes Ml(Bw), Mla7, as well as three unknown genes found in original landraces and perhaps another three unknown genes detected in cultivars bred in China. The resistances of varieties from the Zhejiang province and those originating from 11 other Chinese provinces were quite different. Unfortunately, none of the varieties are promising sources of resistance to powdery mildew and China does not seem to be a region suitable for identifying such sources.     

Changes in trace element speciation in kola north surface waters during snow melt

The powerful mass-flow of melt water during the brief period of spring thaw provides a surge of pollutants and causes extremely toxic short term conditions. Together with the increase in total metal concentrations during this period, a redistribution in metal speciation occurs that increases the proportion of more toxic forms. Concentrations of ion-exchangeable fractions of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminium (Al), and manganese (Mn) show strong negative correlations with pH. The sum of complex metal species shows a strong positive correlation with total organic carbon (TOC). A data analysis model based on relationships observed between key parameters and metal behaviour together with gidrological data allowed an assessmrnt of the metal impact on waterbodies from accumulated airborne pollution (Ni, Cu) as well as from accelerated leaching from watersheds (Al, Mn).     

Sources of powdery mildew resistance in a wild barley collection

A total of 1,383 accessions of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum) held in the USDA-National Small Grains Collection, Aberdeen were screened for resistance to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei) in the Czech Republic. They were subsequently tested at the seedling stage for reaction to selected powdery mildew pathotypes and simultaneously for their adult plant resistance in the field. One hundred and twenty-three accessions exhibited resistance to 22 pathotypes in the greenhouse tests (reaction type 2–3 or lower) as well as resistance to the natural population of this pathogen in the field in the Czech Republic during at least 2-year testing. These accessions represent large amount of promising sources in breeding barley for resistance to powdery mildew.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

Genetic diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in different regions of Flanders (Belgium)

We investigated the diversity of rhizobia isolated from different indigenous legumes in Flanders (Belgium). A total of 3810 bacterial strains were analysed originating from 43 plant species. Based on rep-PCR clustering, 16S rRNA gene and recA gene sequence analysis, these isolates belonged to Bradyrhizobium, Ensifer (Sinorhizobium), Mesorhizobium and Rhizobium. Of the genera encountered, Rhizobium was the most abundant (62%) and especially the species Rhizobiumleguminosarum, followed by Ensifer (19%), Bradyrhizobium (14%) and finally Mesorhizobium (5%). For two rep-clusters only low similarity values with other genera were found for both the 16S rRNA and recA genes, suggesting that these may represent a new genus with close relationship to Rhodopseudomonas and Bradyrhizobium. Primers for the symbiotic genes nodC and nifH were optimized and a phylogenetic sequence analysis revealed the presence of different symbiovars including genistearum, glycinearum, loti, meliloti, officinalis, trifolii and viciae. Moreover, three new nodC types were assigned to strains originating from Ononis, Robinia and Wisteria, respectively. Discriminant and MANOVA analysis confirmed the correlation of symbiosis genes with certain bacterial genera and less with the host plant. Multiple symbiovars can be present within the same host plant, suggesting the promiscuity of these plants. Moreover, the ecoregion did not contribute to the separation of the bacterial endosymbionts. Our results reveal a large diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in Flanders. Most of the legumes harboured more than one rhizobial endosymbiont in their root nodules indicating the importance of including sufficient isolates per plant in diversity studies.     

Agricultural potential of Mediterranean grain and forage legumes: Key differences between and within Vicia species in terms of phenology, yield, and agronomy give insight into plant adaptation to semi-arid environments

In order to identify key adaptive traits which affect productivity in Mediterranean grain and forage legumes and simultaneously determine the agricultural potential of a wide range of Vicia species, germplasm collected from the wild throughout the eastern Mediterranean was grown under semi-arid conditions in Tel Hadya, Syria (313 mm growing season rainfall). These included species currently in use in Mediterranean agriculture, such as V. sativa L., as well as those more widely used in the past-such as V. ervilia L., but also a broad selection from Section Narbonensis (B. Fedtsch. ex Radzhi) Maxted, including V. narbonensis L, V. johannis Tamamsch., V. hyaeniscyamus Mout., V. serratifolia Jacq., and V. kalakhensis Khattab et al. V. faba, a near relative of the taxa in Section Narbonensis, was included as a domesticated control. Where applicable, a representative range of subspecies was used. Accessions were chosen from a wide range of habitats in terms of latitude (31.02–40.72 decimal^o), longitude (27.1–43.17 decimal^o), altitude (20–1510 m), rainfall (180–1700 mm/yr) and soil depth (5–50 cm) in order to maximise diversity within species. Agricultural potential was determined by measuring seed, hay and biological yield, as well as agronomic traits such as harvest index, standing crop height, and seed size. The comparative influence of phenology and key agronomic traits such as plant habit and seed size on productivity varied tremendously between species, depending on their reproductive strategies. In V. sativa and V. ervilia, the smaller seed species which rely on long vegetative phases and growing seasons to accumulate sufficient biomass to set seed, and in which there was comparatively little agronomic variation, phenology had a large impact on yield. In early emerging taxa such as V. ervilia and V. s. subsp. sativa, with built-in long vegetative phases and growing seasons, seed yield was negatively correlated with flower ing (r = –0.86 to –0.88), whereas the opposite was the case for later emerging taxa such as V. s. subsp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. (r = 0.95). Within V. narbonensis and relatives, the larger seeded Vicia species which rely on more conservative reproductive strategies where high seedling vigour associated with large seeds enables the species to enter reproductive phases relatively early, phenology had a much smaller impact on yield than did variation of key traits such as seed weight, plant habit and pod shattering. Among the undomesticated germplasm harvest indices ranged from 0.09–0.31, hay yields from 0.1–3.4 t/ha, seed yield from 0–2.0 t/ha, and dry matter at maturity from 1.6–6.5 t/ha. Sub-specific taxonomy was crucial in determining agronomic potential. V. narbonensis var. aegyptiaca Kornhuber ex Asch. et Schweinf. showed the most potential, combining an upright habit, large seeds (212 mg) and tendency to retain intact pods after maturity, with the highest yield, harvest index and crop height of all the wild Vicia species. V. sativa subsp. sativa, V. ervilia and V. narbonensis var. narbonensis were less productive, but still showed agricultural potential. The smaller seeded V. narbonensis, var. affinis, var. jordanica H. Schäf. and var. salmonea (Mout.) H. Schäf., and their close relatives V. johannis, V. hyaeniscyamus, V. serratifolia and V. kalakhensis have little to offer Mediterranean agriculture on the basis of poor agronomy.     

Changes in rhizosphere microbial activity mediated by native or allochthonous AM fungi in the reafforestation of a Mediterranean degraded environment

This study was carried out in a semiarid degraded area to assess the effectiveness of mycorrhizal inoculation with a mixture of native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi or an allochthonous AM fungus (Glomus claroideum), on the establishment of Olea europaea subsp. sylvestris L. and Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boissier in this area. Associated changes in the soil microbiological properties and aggregate stability related to these AM inocula were also recorded. Eighteen months after planting, G. claroideum had increased available P in the rhizosphere of both shrub species. In general, both inoculation treatments increased water-soluble C and water-soluble and total carbohydrates, G. claroideum being the most effective inoculum, particularly in R. sphaerocarpa. The mixture of native AM fungi was the most effective treatment for increasing the aggregate stability of R. sphaerocarpa soil, while that of O. europaea was increased only by G. claroideum. Increased (dehydrogenase, urease, protease-BAA, acid phosphatase and -glucosidase) enzyme activities, in particular of dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase, were recorded in the rhizosphere of both mycorrhizal shrub species. The mixture of native AM fungi was the most effective treatment for stimulating the growth of O. europaea and R. sphaerocarpa (11.6-fold and 3.3-fold, respectively, greater than control plants). The establishment of mycorrhizal shrub species favoured the reactivation of soil microbial activity, which was linked to an increase in aggregate stability.