Amadou Bâ

Global assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus diversity reveals very low endemism

Cosmopolitan plant root symbionts The aboveground lives of plants are only sustainable because of the symbiotic soil fungi that encase their roots. These fungi swap nutrients with plants, defend them from attack, and help them withstand abrupt environmental changes. Out of necessity, fungal symbionts in the soil would appear to be restricted and local to certain plant species. Davison et al., however, discovered that some taxa are globally distributed. How these underground fungi have dispersed so widely remains a mystery; perhaps human farmers have had something to do with it. Science, this issue p. 970 The wide distribution of plant-root fungal symbionts seems to be driven by recent dispersal rather than ancient tectonics. The global biogeography of microorganisms remains largely unknown, in contrast to the well-studied diversity patterns of macroorganisms. We used arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus DNA from 1014 plant-root samples collected worldwide to determine the global distribution of these plant symbionts. We found that AM fungal communities reflected local environmental conditions and the spatial distance between sites. However, despite AM fungi apparently possessing limited dispersal ability, we found 93% of taxa on multiple continents and 34% on all six continents surveyed. This contrasts with the high spatial turnover of other fungal taxa and with the endemism displayed by plants at the global scale. We suggest that the biogeography of AM fungi is driven by unexpectedly efficient dispersal, probably via both abiotic and biotic vectors, including humans.

Photosynthetic Bradyrhizobia Are Natural Endophytes of the African Wild Rice Oryza breviligulata

ABSTRACT We investigated the presence of endophytic rhizobia within the roots of the wetland wild rice Oryza breviligulata, which is the ancestor of the African cultivated rice Oryza glaberrima. This primitive rice species grows in the same wetland sites as Aeschynomene sensitiva, an aquatic stem-nodulated legume associated with photosynthetic strains ofBradyrhizobium. Twenty endophytic and aquatic isolates were obtained at three different sites in West Africa (Senegal and Guinea) from nodal roots of O. breviligulata and surrounding water by using A. sensitiva as a trap legume. Most endophytic and aquatic isolates were photosynthetic and belonged to the same phylogenetic Bradyrhizobium/Blastobacter subgroup as the typical photosynthetic Bradyrhizobium strains previously isolated from Aeschynomene stem nodules. Nitrogen-fixing activity, measured by acetylene reduction, was detected in rice plants inoculated with endophytic isolates. A 20% increase in the shoot growth and grain yield of O. breviligulata grown in a greenhouse was also observed upon inoculation with one endophytic strain and one Aeschynomene photosynthetic strain. The photosynthetic Bradyrhizobium sp. strain ORS278 extensively colonized the root surface, followed by intercellular, and rarely intracellular, bacterial invasion of the rice roots, which was determined with a lacZ-tagged mutant of ORS278. The discovery that photosynthetic Bradyrhizobium strains, which are usually known to induce nitrogen-fixing nodules on stems of the legume Aeschynomene, are also natural true endophytes of the primitive rice O. breviligulatacould significantly enhance cultivated rice production.

Multi-host ectomycorrhizal fungi are predominant in a Guinean tropical rainforest and shared between canopy trees and seedlings

The diversity of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi on adult trees and seedlings of five species, Anthonotha fragrans, Anthonotha macrophylla, Cryptosepalum tetraphyllum, Paramacrolobium coeruleum and Uapaca esculenta, was determined in a tropical rain forest of Guinea. Ectomycorrhizae were sampled within a surface area of 1600 m(2), and fungal taxa were identified by sequencing the rDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer region. Thirty-nine ECM fungal taxa were determined, of which 19 multi-hosts, 9 single-hosts and 11 singletons. The multi-host fungi represented 92% (89% when including the singletons in the analysis) of the total abundance. Except for A. fragrans, the adults of the host species displayed significant differentiation for their fungal communities, but their seedlings harboured a similar fungal community. These findings suggest that there was a potential for the formation of common mycorrhizal networks in close vicinity. However, no significant difference was detected for the δ(13)C and δ(15)N values between seedlings and adults of each ECM plant, and no ECM species exhibited signatures of mixotrophy. Our results revealed (i) variation in ECM fungal diversity according to the seedling versus adult development stage of trees and (ii) low host specificity of ECM fungi, and indicated that multi-host fungi are more abundant than single-host fungi in this forest stand.

Growth stimulation of seventeen fallow leguminous plants inoculated with Glomus aggregatum in Senegal

Abstract Tropical legumes from fallowed areas in Senegal were inoculated with a tropical strain of Glomus aggregatum to test their relative mycorrhizal dependency in a greenhouse experiment. Twelve species among the seventeen tested showed a significant growth increase when mycorrhizal. Their mycorrhizal dependency varied from 92.7% for Indigofera stenophylla to 26.2% for Prosopis julifora . A significant positive correlation was found between mycorrhizal dependency and root hair length. The results confirm the high mycorrhizal dependency of legumes which are economically very important in the restoration of soil fertility of fallowed areas in the Sahelian and Soudano-Sahelian zones.

Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis of tropical African trees

The diversity, ecology and function of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi and ectomycorrhizas (ECMs) on tropical African tree species are reviewed here. While ECMs are the most frequent mycorrhizal type in temperate and boreal forests, they concern an economically and ecologically important minority of plants in African tropical forests. In these African tropical forests, ECMs are found mainly on caesalpionioid legumes, Sarcolaenaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Asterpeiaceae, Phyllantaceae, Sapotaceae, Papilionoideae, Gnetaceae and Proteaceae, and distributed in open, gallery and rainforests of the Guineo-Congolian basin, Zambezian Miombo woodlands of East and South-Central Africa and Sudanian savannah woodlands of the sub-sahara. Overall, EM status was confirmed in 93 (26%) among 354 tree species belonging to EM genera. In addition, 195 fungal taxa were identified using morphological descriptions and sequencing of the ML5/ML6 fragment of sporocarps and ECMs from West Africa. Analyses of the belowground EM fungal communities mostly based on fungal internal transcribed spacer sequences of ECMs from Continental Africa, Madagascar and the Seychelles also revealed more than 350 putative species of EM fungi belonging mainly to 18 phylogenetic lineages. As in temperate forests, the /russula–lactarius and /tomentella–thelephora lineages dominated EM fungal flora in tropical Africa. A low level of host preference and dominance of multi-host fungal taxa on different African adult tree species and their seedlings were revealed, suggesting a potential for the formation of common ectomycorrhizal networks. Moreover, the EM inoculum potential in terms of types and density of propagules (spores, sclerotia, EM root fragments and fragments of mycelia strands) in the soil allowed opportunistic root colonisation as well as long-term survival in the soil during the dry season. These are important characteristics when choosing an EM fungus for field application. In this respect, Thelephoroid fungal sp. XM002, an efficient and competitive broad host range EM fungus, possessed these characteristics and appeared to be a good candidate for artificial inoculation of Caesalps and Phyllanthaceae seedlings in nurseries. However, further efforts should be made to assess the genetic and functional diversity of African EM fungi as well as the EM status of unstudied plant species and to strengthen the use of efficient and competitive EM fungi to improve production of ecologically and economically important African multipurpose trees in plantations.

Susceptibility of several sahelian Acacia to Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitw.

Four Acacia species were tested for their susceptibility to the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica, commonly found in sahelian areas. Faidherbia albida and Acacia senegal were resistant to this nematode. On the contrary, A. raddiana, A. nilotica and A. mangium were susceptible. Among these three species, the growth of A. nilotica and A. mangium was inhibited by M. javanica but A. raddiana was tolerant. The rhizobial symbiosis with F. albida and A. senegal was stimulated by the nematode. The population build-up of the root-knot nematode induced by tree species in agroforestry systems is discussed.

Genetic diversity patterns and functional traits of bradyrhizobium strains associated with #Pterocarpus officinalis# Jacq. in Caribbean Islands and Amazonian Forest (French Guiana)

Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. is a legume tree native to the Caribbean islands and South America growing as a dominant species in swamp forests. To analyze (i) the genetic diversity and (ii) the symbiotic properties of its associated nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria, root nodules were collected from P. officinalis distributed in 16 forest sites of the Caribbean islands and French Guiana. The sequencing of the 16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer region (ITS) showed that all bacteria belonged to the Bradyrhizobium genus. Bacteria isolated from insular zones showed very close sequence homologies with Bradyrhizobium genospecies V belonging to the Bradyrhizobium japonicum super-clade. By contrast, bacteria isolated from continental region displayed a larger genetic diversity and belonged to B. elkanii super-clade. Two strains from Puerto Rico and one from French Guiana were not related to any known sequence and could be defined as a new genospecies. Inoculation experiments did not show any host specificity of the Bradyrhizobium strains tested in terms of infectivity. However, homologous Bradyrhizobium sp. strain-P. officinalis provenance associations were more efficient in terms of nodule production, N acquisition, and growth than heterologous ones. The dominant status of P. officinalis in the islands may explain the lower bacterial diversity compared to that found in the continent where P. officinalis is associated with other leguminous tree species. The specificity in efficiency found between Bradyrhizobium strains and host tree provenances could be due to a coevolution process between both partners and needs to be taken in consideration in the framework of rehabilitation plantation programs.

Effects of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica on the symbiotic relationships between different strains of Rhizobia and Acacia holosericea (A Cunn. ex G. Don)

Abstract Several strains of Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium and Sinorhizobium strains were tested for their compatibility with an Australian acacia: Acacia holosericea. All bacterial strains induced some nodule formation on roots. However, the rhizobia which greatly increased the development of seedlings belonged to the Bradyrhizobium genus. The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica, strongly inhibited the symbiosis with most of the rhizobial strains. The rhizobia had no effect on nematode multiplication except for bacterial strain ORS 1020 where the final nematode population was higher than in the control treatment. The hypothesis concerning the interactions between nematodes and the nitrogen fixative process are discussed. Moreover, this investigation underlines the decreasing effect of nematodes on the potential benefits that may result from growing A. holosericea inoculated with selected rhizobial strains.

Des ressources végétales endémiques pour optimiser durablement les opérations de réhabilitation du couvert forestier en milieu méditerranéen et tropical : exemple des plantes facilitatrices vectrices de propagation des champignons mycorhiziens

The overexploitation of natural resources, resulting in an increased need for arable lands by local populations, causes a serious dysfunction in the soils biological functioning (mineral deficiency, salt stress, etc.). This dysfunction, worsened by the climatic conditions (drought), requires the implementation of ecological engineering strategies allowing the rehabilitation of degraded areas through the restoration of essential ecological services. The first symptoms of weathering processes of soil quality in tropical and Mediterranean environments result in an alteration of the plant cover structure with, in particular, the pauperization of plant species diversity and abundance. This degradation is accompanied by a weakening of soils and an increase of the impact of erosion on the surface layer resulting in reduced fertility of soils in terms of their physicochemical characteristics as well as their biological ones (e.g., soil microbes). Among the microbial components particularly sensitive to erosion, symbiotic microorganisms (rhizobia, Frankia, mycorrhizal fungi) are known to be key components in the main terrestrial biogeochemical cycles (C, N and P). Many studies have shown the importance of the management of these symbiotic microorganisms in rehabilitation and revegetation strategies of degraded environments, but also in improving the productivity of agrosystems. In particular, the selection of symbionts and their inoculation into the soil were strongly encouraged in recent decades. These inoculants were selected not only for their impact on the plant, but also for their ability to persist in the soil at the expense of the residual native microflora. The performance of this technique was thus evaluated on the plant cover, but its impact on soil microbial characteristics was totally ignored. The role of microbial diversity on productivity and stability (resistance, resilience, etc.) of eco- and agrosystems has been identified relatively recently and has led to a questioning of the conceptual bases of controlled inoculation in sustainable land management. It has been suggested that the environmental characteristics of the area to rehabilitate should be taken into account, and more particularly its degradation level in relation to the threshold of ecological resilience. This consideration should lead to the optimization of the cultural practices to either (i) restore the original properties of an ecosystem in case of slightly degraded environments or (ii) transform an ecosystem in case of highly degraded soils (e.g., mine soils). In this chapter, we discuss, through various examples of experiments conducted in tropical and Mediterranean areas, the performance of different strategies to manage the microbial potential in soils (inoculation of exotic vs. native species, inoculation or controlled management potential microbial stratum via aboveground vegetation, etc.) based on the level of environmental degradation.

Genetic Diversity and Functional Traits of Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. Associated with Symbiotic Microbial Communities in Caribbean Swamp Forests in Relation to Insular Distribution, Salinity and Flooding

Pterocarpus officinalis is a significant component of the Caribbean wetland plant community. Currently, stands are growing near their physiological extreme, thus it is very important to understand the biology of the species to develop effective conservation strategies and plans. The intra-specific diversity of P. officinalis has been analyzed at different spatial scales, from the continental to the insular Caribbean areas, by using AFLP, chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites, cpDNA, and nrITS markers. The genetic diversity of P. officinalis was higher from continental than from island populations. A similar pattern of genetic diversity resulted from Bradyrhizobial strains isolated from P. officinalis nodules. Bradyrhizobial strains associated with P. officinalis have positive effects on nodulation, N-acquisition, and plant growth. Pterocarpus officinalis is not a halophyte plant. However, it grew better in flooding due to the lenticels, adventitious roots, and aerenchyma that promote root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and N-fixing root-nodular bacteria. Furthermore, arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and nodulation improve flooding tolerance in P. officinalis seedlings. The ecological, demographic, genetic, and physiological data that have been collected through the Caribbean populations of P. officinalis in combination with data from its associated microorganisms are providing the framework to develop better restoration efforts for the species.