Fusions between individual mycelia of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been observed in two-dimensional systems but never in soil systems. Here, phosphorus ((32)P) labelling was used to demonstrate nutrient transfer between individual mycelia and to investigate the possible role of anastomosis. Trifolium subterraneum colonized by Glomus mosseae were grown in root-retaining mesh bags, which were placed 20 cm apart. The mycelium of one plant, the donor, had access to (32)P-labelled soil placed adjacent to the mesh bag. Transfer of (32)P from the donor mycelium to the receiver plant was measured at three harvests. In a second-harvest control treatment the receiver was colonized by Glomus caledonium in order to determine whether transfer occurred by other means than hyphal fusions. Significant amounts of P were transferred to the receiver plant at the last harvests when the two mycelia of G. mosseae overlapped. The transfer probably occurred via anastomoses between the mycelia as no transfer of (32)P was detected between the mycelia of different fungi at the second harvest. The indicated ability of AM fungal mycelia to anastomose in soil has implications for the formation of large plant-interlinking functional networks, long-distance nutrient transport and retention of nutrients in readily plant-available pools.
Barley (Hordeum vulgare) was grown in different climatic environments with elevated [CO 2 ] (700 vs 385 ppm), [O 3 ] (60/90 vs 20 ppb) and temperature (24/19 vs 19/12°C day/night) as single factors and in combinations, to evaluate the impact of these climatic factors on photosynthesis and susceptibility to powdery mildew and spot blotch disease. No significant increase in net CO 2 assimilation rate was observed in barley grown under elevated [CO 2 ] at ambient temperature. However, this rate was positively stimulated under elevated temperature together with a slightly higher potential quantum efficiency of PSII, both at ambient and elevated [CO 2 ], suggesting that photosynthesis was not limited by [CO 2 ] at ambient temperature. When growing under elevated temperature or [O 3 ], infection by the biotrophic powdery mildew fungus decreased, whereas disease symptoms and growth of the toxin-secreting hemibiotrophic spot blotch fungus increased compared to ambient conditions, implying that climate-induced changes in disease severity could be linked to the trophic lifestyle of the pathogens. Elevated [CO 2 ] decreased powdery mildew infection but had no effect on spot blotch disease compared to ambient condition. However, the effect of elevated [CO 2 ], [O 3 ] and temperature did not act in an additive manner when combined. This led to a surprising disease development in the combination treatments, where powdery mildew infection increased despite the individual reducing effect of the climatic factors, and spot blotch disease decreased despite the individual promoting effect of temperature and ozone, emphasizing the importance of conducting multifactorial experiments when evaluating the potential effects of climate change.
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