Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with the rhizosphere of an endemic terrestrial bromeliad and a grass in the Brazilian neotropical dry forest

Author(s)

Silva, Antonio Marcos Miranda ; Feiler, Henrique Petry ; Lacerda-Junior, Gileno Vieira ; Fernandes-Junior, Paulo Ivan ; Aidar, Saulo de Tarso ; de Araujo, Victor Araujo Vieira Prudencio ; Matteoli, Filipe Pereira ; Pereira, Arthur Prudencio de Araujo ; de Melo, Itamar Soares ; Cardoso, Elke Jurandy Bran Nogueira

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Microbiology; v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2023-07-06.

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with 80-90% of all known plants, allowing the fungi to acquire plant-synthesized carbon, and confer an increased capacity for nutrient uptake by plants, improving tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. We aimed at characterizing the mycorrhizal community in the rhizosphere of Neoglaziovia variegata (so-called `caroa`) and Tripogonella spicata (so-called resurrection plant), using high-throughput sequencing of the partial 18S rRNA gene. Both plants are currently undergoing a bioprospecting program to find microbes with the potential of helping plants tolerate water stress. Sampling was carried out in the Caatinga biome, a neotropical dry forest, located in northeastern Brazil. Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 37 rhizosphere samples (19 for N. variegata and 18 for T. spicata) revealed a distinct mycorrhizal community between the studied plants. According to alpha diversity analyses, T. spicata showed the highest richness and diversity based on the Observed ASVs and the Shannon index, respectively. On the other hand, N. variegata showed higher modularity of the mycorrhizal network compared to T. spicata. The four most abundant genera found (higher than 10%) were Glomus, Gigaspora, Acaulospora, and Scutellospora, with Glomus being the most abundant in both plants. Nonetheless, Gigaspora, Diversispora, and Ambispora were found only in the rhizosphere of N. variegata, whilst Scutellospora, Paraglomus, and Archaeospora were exclusive to the rhizosphere of T. spicata. Therefore, the community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of the rhizosphere of each plant encompasses a unique composition, structure and modularity, which can differentially assist them in the hostile environment. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/13436-8 - Mitigation of water stress in maize (Zea mays L.) after arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and growth promoting rhizobacteria inoculation
• Grantee: Antonio Marcos Miranda Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/27682-0 - Relationship between management systems and soil microorganisms: effects on microbiota and plant growth promoting microorganisms
• Grantee: Filipe Pereira Matteoli
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/18944-3 - Climatic changes and energetic efficiency in agriculture: focusing on hydric stress, organic management and soil biology
• Grantee: Elke Jurandy Bran Nogueira Cardoso
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/24785-8 - THE ROLE OF THE SOIL MICROBIOTA IN THE ATTENUATION OF HYDRIC STRESS IN PLANTS
• Grantee: Gileno Vieira Lacerda Júnior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral