Evidence for enhanced salinity tolerance of a suspected fungal pathogen of Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus Latrobe

Abstract. Two saprolegniaceous fungi, one recovered from Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus Latrobe, and the other from fresh water, were compared for their abilities to withstand salinity stress. Results of stress protein analyses indicated that vegetative mycelium of the isolate from menhaden was better adapted to mesohaline salinities than the freshwater isolate. Experiments testing the propagative ability of both fungi during salt exposure further suggested that the fungus recovered from menhaden was more salt tolerant and possibly survives in estuaries because of nutrients present in susceptible fish. Implications of the findings relative to the pathogenic potential of fish pathogenic saprolegniaceous fungi in estuarinc water columns are discussed.     

INFLUENCE OF A MYCORRHIZAL FUNGUS AND/OR RHIZOBIUM ON GROWTH AND BIOMASS PARTITIONING OF SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER EXPOSED TO OZONE

The influence of soilborne symbionts such as rhizobia or mycorrhizal fungi on plant response to ozone (O₃) has not been well defined. Leguminous plants in the field are infected by both types of organisms, which influence plant nutrition and growth. We studied the effects of infection with Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii and/or Gigaspora margarita on response of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv Mt. Barker) to O₃. Exposures were conducted in greenhouse CSTR chambers using four O₃ concentrations [charcoal-filtered (CF), 50, 100, or 150 ppb; 6 h day^-1, 5 day wk^-1 for 12 weeks] as main plots (replicated). Four inoculum types were subplot treatments, i.e., inoculated with one, both, or neither microorganisms. At 2-wk intervals, plants were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ and harvested 24 h later for determination of biomass and ¹⁴C content of shoots and roots. Ozone at 100 or 150 ppb suppressed clover growth during the experiment. Inoculation with G. margarita alone suppressed clover growth by the last two harvests, whereas R. leguminosarum alone enhanced growth during this time period. When both symbionts were present, the plants grew similarly to the noninoculated controls. Shoot/root ratios were increased by 100 or 150 ppb O₃ compared to that for CF-treated plants. Shoot/root ratios were greater for all inoculated plants compared to noninoculated controls. Under low O₃ stress (CF or 50 ppb), plants inoculated with both R. leguminosarum and G. margarita transported a greater proportion of recent photosynthate (¹⁴C) to roots than did noninoculated plants; we attribute this to metabolic requirements of the microorganisms. At the highest level of O₃ stress (150 ppb), this did not occur, probably because little photosynthate was available and the shoots retained most of it for repair of injury. Statistically significant interactions occurred between O₃ and inoculum types for shoot and total biomass. When averaged across harvests, 50 ppb O₃ suppressed biomass in the plants inoculated with G. margarita alone. Apparently, the mycorrhizal fungus is such a significant C drain that even a small amount of O₃ stress suppresses plant growth under these conditions.