Effects of Common Mycorrhizal Network on Plant Carbohydrates and Soil Properties in Trifoliate Orange-White Clover Association

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 10;10(11):e0142371. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142371. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Common mycorrhizal network (CMN) allows nutrients and signals to pass between two or more plants. In this study, trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) and white clover (Trifolium repens) were planted in a two-compartmented rootbox, separated by a 37-μm nylon mesh and then inoculated with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Diversispora spurca. Inoculation with D. spurca resulted in formation of a CMN between trifoliate orange and white clover, whilst the best AM colonization occurred in the donor trifoliate orange-receptor white clover association. In the trifoliate orange-white clover association, the mycorrhizal colonization of receptor plant by extraradical hyphae originated from the donor plant significantly increased shoot and root fresh weight and chlorophyll concentration of the receptor plant. Enzymatic activity of soil β-glucoside hydrolase, protease, acid and neutral phosphatase, water-stable aggregate percentage at 2-4 and 0.5-1 mm size, and mean weight diameter in the rhizosphere of the receptor plant also increased. The hyphae of CMN released more easily-extractable glomalin-related soil protein and total glomalin-related soil protein into the receptor rhizosphere, which represented a significantly positive correlation with aggregate stability. AMF inoculation exhibited diverse changes in leaf and root sucrose concentration in the donor plant, and AM colonization by CMN conferred a significant increase of root glucose in the receptor plant. These results suggested that CMN formed in the trifoliate orange-white clover association, and root AM colonization by CMN promoted plant growth, root glucose accumulation, and rhizospheric soil properties in the receptor plant.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbohydrates*
  • Glomeromycota / metabolism*
  • Mycorrhizae / growth & development*
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / microbiology*
  • Poncirus / growth & development
  • Poncirus / metabolism*
  • Poncirus / microbiology
  • Rhizosphere
  • Soil Microbiology
  • Trifolium / growth & development
  • Trifolium / metabolism*
  • Trifolium / microbiology

Substances

  • Carbohydrates

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Open Fund of Institute of Root Biology, Yangtze University (R201401) and the Yangtze University Foundation for Young Scholars (cyq201324). The Brix N’ Berries provided support in the form of salaries for authors (MM Rahman), but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of this author are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.