Nieves Goicoechea

Water deficit improved the capacity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for inducing the accumulation of antioxidant compounds in lettuce leaves

Lettuce, a major food crop within the European Union and the most used for the so-called ‘Fourth Range’ of vegetables, can associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Mycorrhizal symbiosis can stimulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites, which may increase plant tolerance to stresses and enhance the accumulation of antioxidant compounds potentially beneficial to human health. Our objectives were to assess (1) if the application of a commercial formulation of AMF benefited growth of lettuce under different types and degrees of water deficits; (2) if water restrictions affected the nutritional quality of lettuce; and (3) if AMF improved the quality of lettuce when plants grew under reduced irrigation. Two cultivars of lettuce consumed as salads, Batavia Rubia Munguía and Maravilla de Verano, were used in the study. Four different water regimes were applied to both non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal plants: optimal irrigation (field capacity [FC]), a water regime equivalent to 2/3 of FC, a water regime equivalent to 1/2 of FC and a cyclic drought (CD). Results showed that mycorrhizal symbiosis improved the accumulation of antioxidant compounds, mainly carotenoids and anthocyanins, and to a lesser extent chlorophylls and phenolics, in leaves of lettuce. These enhancements were higher under water deficit than under optimal irrigation. Moreover, shoot biomass in mycorrhizal lettuces subjected to 2/3 of FC were similar to those of non-mycorrhizal plants cultivated under well-watered conditions. In addition, lettuces subjected to 2/3 FC had similar leaf RWC than their respective well-watered controls, regardless of mycorrhizal inoculation. Therefore, results suggest that mycorrhizal symbiosis can improve quality of lettuce and may allow restrict irrigation without reducing production.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) Improved Growth and Nutritional Quality of Greenhouse-Grown Lettuce

Lettuce can be associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). This symbiosis involves a molecular dialogue between fungus and plant that includes the activation of antioxidant, phenylpropanoid, or carotenoid pathways. The objective of this study was to test if the association of lettuce with AMF benefited plant growth and increased the contents of compounds potentially beneficial for human health. Results showed that AMF improved growth of lettuce, thus producing a dilution effect on the concentrations of some mineral nutrients (e.g., Ca and Mn). However, Cu, Fe, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and, to a lesser extent, phenolics appeared in higher concentrations (on a wet basis) in mycorrhizal than in nonmycorrhizal plants.

Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizae and Rhizobium on nutrient content and water relations in drought stressed alfalfa

The objective of this research was to study the effect of drought on nutrient content and leaf water status in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv Aragón) plants inoculated with a mycorrhizal fungus and/or Rhizobium compared with noninoculated ones. The four treatments were: a) plants inoculated with Glomus fasciculatum and Rhizobium meliloti 102 F51 strain, (MR); b) plants inoculated with R. meliloti only (R); c) plants with G. fasciculatum only (M); and d) noninoculated plants (N). Nonmycorrhizal plants were supplemented with phosphorus and nonnodulated ones with nitrogen to achieve similar size and nutrient content in all treatments. Plants were drought stressed using two cycles of moisture stress and recovery. The components of total leaf water potential (osmotic and pressure potentials at full turgor), percentage of apoplastic water volume and the bulk modulus of elasticity of leaf tissue were determined. Macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, S and Mg) and micronutrient (Co, Mo, Zn, Mn, Cu, Na, Fe and B) content per plant were also measured. Leaves of N and R plants had decreased osmotic potentials and increased pressure potentials at full turgor, with no changes either in the bulk modulus of elasticity or the percentage of apoplastic water upon drought conditions. By contrast, M and MR leaves did not vary in osmotic and turgor potentials under drought stress but had increased apoplastic water volume and cell elasticity (lowering bulk modulus). Drought stress decreased nutrient content of leaves and roots of noninoculated plants. R plants showed a decrease in nutrient content of leaves but maintained some micronutrients in roots. Leaves of M plants were similar in content of nutrients to N plants. However, roots of M and MR plants had significantly lower nutrient content. Results indicate an enhancement of nutrient content in mycorrhizal alfalfa plants during drought that affected leaf water relations during drought stress.

Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizae and Rhizobium on free polyamines and proline levels in water-stressed alfalfa

Summary The objective of this research was to study the effect of drought on polyamine and proline levels in alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L. cv. Aragon) plants inoculated with a mycorrhizal fungus and/or Rhizobium compared with non-inoculated ones. The four treatments were: a) plants inoculated with Glomus fasciculatum (Taxter sensu Gerd.) Gerdemann and Trappe and Rhizobium meliloti 102 F51 strain (MR), b) plants inoculated with Rhizobium only (R), c) plants inoculated with Glomus only (M), and d) non-inoculated plants (N). Plants were drought stressed during two cycles of moisture stress and recovery. Although proline concentrations increased and free polyamine (spermidine and spermine) contents decreased in leaves and roots of alfalfa under water stress, symbiotic R, M and MR plants maintained higher free polyamine concentrations than non-symbiotic N ones. Results suggest that symbiotic alfalfa plants are better adapted than non-symbiotic ones to cope with water deficit.

Verticillium dahliae Modifies the Concentrations of Proline, Soluble Sugars, Starch, Soluble Protein and Abscisic Acid in Pepper Plants

The objective of this research was to study the levels of some organic solutes, such as total protein, total soluble sugars, starch and proline in leaves, as well as abscisic acid concentration in xylem of pepper plants inoculated with Verticillium dahliae Kleb. Healthy and inoculated plants were always kept well watered. Measurements were made at time intervals after inoculation. Leaf water potential rapidly decreased as a consequence of fungal infection. However, relative water content in leaves only changed significantly from day 20 after inoculation, and such decreases coincided with a sharp build up of proline and total soluble sugars in leaves. Starch and protein levels, as well as abscisic acid concentration in xylem, declined in healthy and inoculated peppers as they became older. However, such decreases were more pronounced in infected plants, especially soon after inoculation. Results suggest that proline and total soluble sugars accumulation could be sensors of the damage caused by the fungal infection.

Defence-related Enzymes in Pepper Roots During Interactions with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and/or Verticillium dahliae

Previous studies have described that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can reduce the deleterious effect of Verticillium dahliae Kleb. on pepper growth and yield. In mycorrhizal plants, the bioprotection against soil-borne pathogens can result from the preactivation of defence responses that include some structural modifications and the accumulation of Pathogenesis-Related (PR) proteins. Our first objective was to study if V. dahliae induced defence mechanisms in roots before infected pepper developed visible symptoms of disease. The second aim was to determine if AMF induced defence-related enzymatic activities in pepper roots before or after pathogen’s attack. Results showed that the colonization of pepper roots by Glomus deserticola (Trappe, Bloss and Menge) induced the appearance of new isoforms of acidic chitinases, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and, at early stages, peroxidases. In contrast, V. dahliae neither stimulated the phenylpropanoid pathway nor elicited hydrolytic activities in infected pepper roots. Only in mycorrhizal plants, the inoculation with V. dahliae slightly increased both phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase activities two weeks later. Mycorrhizal-specific induction of new isoforms of acidic chitinases and SOD together with enhanced peroxidase and PAL activities 2xa0weeks after pathogen inoculation could be involved in the biocontrol of Verticillium-induced wilt in pepper by AMF.

Effectiveness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for inducing the accumulation of major carotenoids, chlorophylls and tocopherol in green and red leaf lettuces

Previous studies demonstrated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can induce the accumulation of carotenoids, phenolics, anthocyanins and some mineral nutrients in leaves of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) thus enhancing its nutritional quality. Our objectives were to know which carotenoids were the most accumulated in leaves of mycorrhizal lettuces and to assess the effect of AMF on tocopherols’ levels in leaves of lettuce plants. AMF always enhanced growth and, in most cases, increased the levels of all major carotenoids, chlorophylls and tocopherols in green and red leaf lettuces. Since these molecules are also important nutraceuticals, mycorrhization emerges as reliable technique to enhance the nutritional value of edible vegetables. These results are compared with other methods developed to improve nutritional quality.

Moderate drought influences the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as biocontrol agents against Verticillium -induced wilt in pepper

Previous studies have shown that the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus deserticola (Trappe, Bloss and Menge) can diminish the negative effect of Verticillium dahliae Kleb. on pepper yield. On the other hand, it is known that AMF can be more beneficial for plant growth and physiology under dry conditions than when soil moisture is plentiful. Therefore, our objective was to assess if a moderate water deficit imposed on pepper plants before their inoculation with V. dahliae could improve the effectiveness of G. deserticola as biocontrol agent. In the present experiment, the delay in disease development in Verticillium-inoculated plants associated with AMF did not occur under well watered conditions. In addition, the establishment of mycorrhizal symbiosis and the development of structures by AMF were delayed when both symbiotic and pathogenic fungi infected the same root. Therefore, it is suggested that the equilibrium between pepper plant, G. deserticola and V. dahliae is so complex that small changes in competition between symbiotic and pathogenic fungi for host resources can modify the efficiency of AMF as a biocontrol agent. On the other hand, water deficit enhanced the deleterious effect of V. dahliae on fruit set and yield only when pepper plants were not associated with G. deserticola, which reinforces the idea that AMF may be more important for host plants subjected to stressful conditions. However, comparing well watered non-mycorrhizal and predroughted mycorrhizal plants, we found that moderate water deficit imposed before inoculation with V. dahliae did not improve the effectiveness of G. deserticola as a biocontrol agent.

Improvement of Nutritional Quality of Greenhouse-Grown Lettuce by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Is Conditioned by the Source of Phosphorus Nutrition

The improvement of the nutritional quality of lettuce by its association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has been recently reported in a previous study. The aim of this research was to evaluate if the fertilization with three P sources differing in water solubility affects the effectiveness of AMF for improving lettuce growth and nutritional quality. The application of either water-soluble P sources (Hewitts solution and single superphosphate) or the water-insoluble (WI) fraction of a rhizosphere-controlled fertilizer did not exert negative effects on the establishment of the mycorrhizal symbiosis. AMF improved lettuce growth and nutritional quality. Nevertheless, the effect was dependent on the source of P and cultivar. Batavia Rubia Munguía (green cultivar) benefited more than Maravilla de Verano (red cultivar) in terms of mineral nutrients, total soluble sugars, and ascorbate contents. The association of lettuce with AMF resulted in greater quantities of anthocyanins in plants fertilized with WI, carotenoids when plants received either Hewitts solution or WI, and phenolics regardless of the P fertilizer applied.

Methodological advances: using greenhouses to simulate climate change scenarios.

Human activities are increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature. Related to this global warming, periods of low water availability are also expected to increase. Thus, CO2 concentration, temperature and water availability are three of the main factors related to climate change that potentially may influence crops and ecosystems. In this report, we describe the use of growth chamber - greenhouses (GCG) and temperature gradient greenhouses (TGG) to simulate climate change scenarios and to investigate possible plant responses. In the GCG, CO2 concentration, temperature and water availability are set to act simultaneously, enabling comparison of a current situation with a future one. Other characteristics of the GCG are a relative large space of work, fine control of the relative humidity, plant fertirrigation and the possibility of light supplementation, within the photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) region and/or with ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light. In the TGG, the three above-mentioned factors can act independently or in interaction, enabling more mechanistic studies aimed to elucidate the limiting factor(s) responsible for a given plant response. Examples of experiments, including some aimed to study photosynthetic acclimation, a phenomenon that leads to decreased photosynthetic capacity under long-term exposures to elevated CO2, using GCG and TGG are reported.