Denver Walitang

Mycorrhizal Symbiotic Efficiency on C3 and C4 Plants under Salinity Stress – A Meta-Analysis

A wide range of C3 and C4 plant species could acclimatize and grow under the impact of salinity stress. Symbiotic relationship between plant roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widespread and are well known to ameliorate the influence of salinity stress on agro-ecosystem. In the present study, we sought to understand the phenomenon of variability on AMF symbiotic relationship on saline stress amelioration in C3 and C4 plants. Thus, the objective was to compare varied mycorrhizal symbiotic relationship between C3 and C4 plants in saline conditions. To accomplish the above mentioned objective, we conducted a random effects models meta-analysis across 60 published studies. An effect size was calculated as the difference in mycorrhizal responses between the AMF inoculated plants and its corresponding control under saline conditions. Responses were compared between (i) identity of AMF species and AMF inoculation, (ii) identity of host plants (C3 vs. C4) and plant functional groups, (iii) soil texture and level of salinity and (iv) experimental condition (greenhouse vs. field). Results indicate that both C3 and C4 plants under saline condition responded positively to AMF inoculation, thereby overcoming the predicted effects of symbiotic efficiency. Although C3 and C4 plants showed positive effects under low (EC < 4 ds/m) and high (>8 ds/m) saline conditions, C3 plants showed significant effects for mycorrhizal inoculation over C4 plants. Among the plant types, C4 annual and perennial plants, C4 herbs and C4 dicot had a significant effect over other counterparts. Between single and mixed AMF inoculants, single inoculants Rhizophagus irregularis had a positive effect on C3 plants whereas Funneliformis mosseae had a positive effect on C4 plants than other species. In all of the observed studies, mycorrhizal inoculation showed positive effects on shoot, root and total biomass, and in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (K) uptake. However, it showed negative effects in sodium (Na) uptake in both C3 and C4 plants. This influence, owing to mycorrhizal inoculation, was significantly higher in K uptake in C4 plants. For our analysis, we concluded that AMF-inoculated C4 plants showed more competitive K+ ions uptake than C3 plants. Therefore, maintenance of high cytosolic K+/Na+ ratio is a key feature of plant salt tolerance. Studies on the detailed mechanism for the selective transport of K in C3 and C4 mycorrhizal plants under salt stress is lacking, and this needs to be explored.

The influence of host genotype and salt stress on the seed endophytic community of salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant rice cultivars

BackgroundInherent characteristics and changes in the physiology of rice as it attains salt tolerance affect the colonizing bacterial endophytic communities of the rice seeds. These transmissible endophytes also serve as a source of the plant’s microbial community and concurrently respond to the host and environmental conditions. This study explores the influence of the rice host as well as the impact of soil salinity on the community structure and diversity of seed bacterial endophytes of rice with varying tolerance to salt stress. Endophytic bacterial diversity was studied through culture-dependent technique and Terminal-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis.ResultsResults revealed considerably diverse communities of bacterial endophytes in the interior of rice seeds. The overall endophytic bacterial communities of the indica rice seeds based on 16S rRNA analysis of clones and isolates are dominated by phylum Proteobacteria followed by Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Community profiles show common ribotypes found in all cultivars of the indica subspecies representing potential core microbiota belonging to Curtobacterium, Flavobacterium, Enterobacter, Xanthomonas, Herbaspirillum, Microbacterium and Stenotrophomonas. Clustering analysis shows that the host genotype mainly influences the seed endophytic community of the different rice cultivars. Under salt stress conditions, endophytic communities of the salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant rice cultivars shift their dominance to bacterial groups belonging to Flavobacterium, Pantoea, Enterobacter, Microbacterium, Kosakonia and Curtobacterium.ConclusionThe endophytic communities of rice indica seeds are shaped by the hosts’ genotype, their physiological adaptation to salt stress and phylogenetic relatedness. Under salt stress conditions, a few groups of bacterial communities become prominent causing a shift in bacterial diversity and dominance.

Trap Culture Technique for Propagation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi using Different Host Plants

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore propagation and long term maintenance is still a complicated technique for farmers. The use of AMF for their ability to promote plant growth and protect plants against pathogen attack and environmental stresses demands AMF propagation for large scale application. This study aimed to propagate AMF spores by trap culture technique and assess their ability to propagate with different host plants in a continuous plant cycle. Mycorrhizal inoculation by trap culture in maize resulted in longer shoots and roots than sudangrass plants. Increase in dry weight with higher percentage also was observed for maize plants. After first and second plant cycle, maize plants had the higher percentage of mycorrhizal response in terms of colonization and arbuscules than sudangrass. Maximum in spore count also achieved in the pots of maize plants. The results show that maize plant is more suitable host plant for AMF spore propagation and trap culture technique can be used effectively to maintain the AMF culture for long time.

Conservation and transmission of seed bacterial endophytes across generations following crossbreeding and repeated inbreeding of rice at different geographic locations

There are comparatively diverse bacterial communities inside seeds, which are vertically transmitted and conserved, becoming sources of endophytes in the next generation of host plants. We studied how rice seed endophyte composition changed over time following crossbreeding, repeated inbreeding, subsequent human selection and planting of different rice seeds in different ecogeographical locations. Using terminal‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to study bacterial communities, we observed that diversity between the original parents and their offspring may show significant differences in richness, evenness and diversity indices. Heat maps reveal substantial contributions of both or either parent in the shaping of the bacterial seed endophytes of the offspring. Most of the terminal restriction fragments (T‐RFs) of the subsequent progeny could be traced to any or both of its parents while unique T‐RFs of the offspring suggest external sources of colonization particularly when the seeds were cultivated in different locations. Many similar groups of endophytic bacteria persist in the seeds even after recultivation in different locations, indicating resilience to environmental changes and conservation of bacteria across generations. This study suggests that parent plants contributed to the shaping of seed bacterial endophytes of their offspring, although it is also possible that these soil grown rice plants recruit similar populations of endophytes from the soil generation after generation. This study also highlights some bacterial groups belonging to Herbaspirillum, Microbacterium, Curtobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Xanthomonas and Enterobacter that may be part of a transmitted and conserved “core microbiota” that are ubiquitous and dominant members of the endophytic communities of the rice seeds.

Halotolerant Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria Mediated Salinity Stress Amelioration in Plants

Soil salinization refers to the buildup of salts in soil to a level toxic to plants. The major factors that contribute to soil salinity are the quality, the amount and the type of irrigation water used. The presented review discusses the different sources and causes of soil salinity. The effect of soil salinity on biological processes of plants is also discussed in detail. This is followed by a debate on the influence of salt on the nutrient uptake and growth of plants. Salinity decreases the soil osmotic potential and hinders water uptake by the plants. Soil salinity affects the plants K uptake, which plays a critical role in plant metabolism due to the high concentration of soluble sodium (Na + ) ions. Visual symptoms that appear in the plants as a result of salinity include stunted plant growth, marginal leaf necrosis and fruit distortions. Different strategies to ameliorate salt stress globally include breeding of salt tolerant cultivars, irrigation to leach excessive salt to improve soil physical and chemical properties. As part of an ecofriendly means to alleviate salt stress and an increasing considerable attention on this area, the review then focuses on the different plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) mediated mechanisms with a special emphasis on ACC deaminase producing bacteria. The various strategies adopted by PGPB to alleviate various stresses in plants include the production of different osmolytes, stress related phytohormones and production of molecules related to stress signaling such as bacterial 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate(ACC) derivatives. The use of PGPB with ACC deaminase producing trait could be effective in promoting plant growth in agricultural areas affected by different stresses including salt stress. Finally, the review ends with a discussion on the various PGPB activities and the potentiality of facultative halophilic/halotolerant PGPB in alleviating salt stress.