Fungal Symbionts Enhance N-Uptake for Antarctic Plants Even in Non-N Limited Soils

Acuña‐Rodríguez, Ian S.; Galán, Alexander; Torres-Díaz, Cristián; Átala, Cristian; Molina‐Montenegro, Marco A.

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.575563

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(69 reference statements)

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“…More N in the soil, for example, can be attributed to a higher urease activity, which is increased in moister soils ( Delgado-Baquerizo et al, 2015 ; Liu et al, 2016 ), such as those with the presence of BSCs. The biological nitrogen mineralization process could also be positively influencing the levels of available nitrogen, which could be mediated by microbial activity, as seen in other studies ( Acuña-Rodríguez et al, 2020 ), mainly attributed to fungi that could be also present in the BSCs. Moreover, leaf nutrient content was higher on C. quitensis plants exposed to BSCs compared to plants grown only in BS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…In the case of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, two native vascular plants, Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis , coexist as dominant elements, along with a mosaic of different BSCs ( Molina-Montenegro and Cavieres, 2010 ; Parnikoza et al, 2011 ). While both plants grow successfully in the Antarctic tundra, their ecological strategies vary greatly; D. antarctica has several physiological traits that allow it to survive the extreme conditions of Antarctica ( Sáez et al, 2019 ), but C. quitensis seems to strongly depend on mutualistic interaction with microorganisms ( Torres-Díaz et al, 2016 ; Gallardo-Cerda et al, 2018 ; Acuña-Rodríguez et al, 2020 ). Thus, we believe that it is highly important to describe the composition of Maritime Antarctic BSCs (King George Island, South Shetland Islands) and their effect on the physical–chemical properties of the soil, and to evaluate their effect on the ecophysiological performance of Colobanthus quitensis .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biological Soil Crusts as Ecosystem Engineers in Antarctic Ecosystem

et al. 2022

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Biological soil crusts (BSC) are considered as pivotal ecological elements among different ecosystems of the world. The effects of these BSC at the micro-site scale have been related to the development of diverse plant species that, otherwise, might be strongly limited by the harsh abiotic conditions found in environments with low water availability. Here, we describe for the first time the bacterial composition of BSCs found in the proximities of Admiralty Bay (Maritime Antarctica) through 16S metabarcoding. In addition, we evaluated their effect on soils (nutrient levels, enzymatic activity, and water retention), and on the fitness and performance of Colobanthus quitensis, one of the two native Antarctic vascular plants. This was achieved by comparing the photochemical performance, foliar nutrient, biomass, and reproductive investment between C. quitensis plants growing with or without the influence of BSC. Our results revealed a high diversity of prokaryotes present in these soil communities, although we found differences in terms of their abundances. We also found that the presence of BSCs is linked to a significant increase in soils’ water retention, nutrient levels, and enzymatic activity when comparing with control soils (without BSCs). In the case of C. quitensis, we found that measured ecophysiological performance parameters were significantly higher on plants growing in association with BSCs. Taken together, our results suggest that BSCs in Antarctic soils are playing a key role in various biochemical processes involved in soil development, while also having a positive effect on the accompanying vascular flora. Therefore, BSCs would be effectively acting as ecosystem engineers for the terrestrial Antarctic ecosystem.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological Soil Crusts as Ecosystem Engineers in Antarctic Ecosystem

et al. 2022

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“…The color was only affected in fruits obtained from inoculated and well-watered plants, in which a moderate but statistically significant increase in the lightness was observed compared to the other treatments. These results could be explained by the role of Antarctic fungal endophytes to enhance nutrient uptake, including nitrogen and phosphorus ( Newsham, 2011 ; Acuña-Rodríguez et al, 2020 ). The symbiotic interactions increase the availability of essential nutrients for the synthesis of amino acids and proteins in the host plants ( Harman et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improvement in the physiological and biochemical performance of strawberries under drought stress through symbiosis with Antarctic fungal endophytes

et al. 2022

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Strawberry is one of the most widely consumed fruit, but this crop is highly susceptible to drought, a condition strongly associated with climate change, causing economic losses due to the lower product quality. In this context, plant root-associated fungi emerge as a new and novel strategy to improve crop performance under water-deficiency stress. This study aimed to investigate the supplementation of two Antarctic vascular plant-associated fungal endophytes, Penicillium brevicompactum and Penicillium chrysogenum, in strawberry plants to develop an efficient, effective, and ecologically sustainable approach for the improvement of plant performance under drought stress. The symbiotic association of fungal endophytes with strawberry roots resulted in a greater shoot and root biomass production, higher fruit number, and an enhanced plant survival rate under water-limiting conditions. Inoculation with fungal endophytes provokes higher photosynthetic efficiency, lower lipid peroxidation, a modulation in antioxidant enzymatic activity, and increased proline content in strawberry plants under drought stress. In conclusion, promoting beneficial symbiosis between plants and endophytes can be an eco-friendly strategy to cope with drought and help to mitigate the impact of diverse negative effects of climate change on crop production.

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“…The endophytes, which had been isolated from surface‐sterilised root fragments of each plant species, were identified through sequencing of the partial internal transcribed spacer region and large subunit genes (Torres‐Díaz et al, 2021). Previous studies have shown that each of the six isolates colonises the roots of lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ), tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) and bell pepper ( Capsicum annuum ) grown in monoculture (Acuña‐Rodríguez et al, 2019; Molina‐Montenegro et al, 2016, 2020), with hyphae growing on root surfaces and apoplastically between epidermal cells (Acuña‐Rodríguez et al, 2020).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme environments as sources of fungal endophytes mitigating climate change impacts on crops in Mediterranean‐type ecosystems

Ballesteros,

Newsham,

Acuña‐Rodríguez

et al. 2023

Plants People Planet

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Societal Impact StatementClimate change is predicted to increase drought and soil salinity in Mediterranean‐type ecosystems (MTEs), posing a significant threat to global food security. Genetic modification of crops to counteract this threat is expensive and has not met with universal support, and alternatives are hence needed to enhance crop production in MTEs. Here, fungal endophytes from the Atacama Desert, High Andes and Antarctica inoculated onto three crops were found to alleviate the negative effects of drought and salinity on plant performance. The study concludes that extremophile endophytes might be used to enhance crop performance as the climate of MTEs changes over future decades.Summary Climate change will curtail the ability to provide sufficient food for our rapidly expanding population. Improvements to crop production in changing environments, particularly Mediterranean‐type ecosystems (MTEs), which are increasingly subjected to drought and salinisation, are hence urgently needed. Here, we explored the possibility that fungal endophytes from extreme environments can be used to enhance crop yield, survival and tolerance to environmental stresses. Plants of lettuce, tomato and bell pepper were inoculated with up to six species of endophytic fungi isolated from the Atacama Desert, the High Andes and Antarctica. They were then exposed in the field for up to 120 days in each of three summers to current climatic conditions or to a future climate scenario simulating increased drought and soil salinisation. Compared with uninoculated plants, the yield and survival of inoculated crops were increased by up to two‐fold under the future climate scenario. These effects were in part attributable to the improved water balance of inoculated crops exposed to drought and salinisation. The inocula also increased the concentrations of total phenols and proline in leaves and decreased lipid peroxidation when plants were subjected to increased aridity and salinity. A mixed inoculum of six endophytes from the extreme environments conferred the most beneficial effects on crop performance, with a commercially available inoculum having fewer positive effects on crops. We conclude that the inoculation of crops with endophytes from extreme environments may be a viable solution to sustaining crop production in MTEs exposed to rapid climate change.

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Fungal Symbionts Enhance N-Uptake for Antarctic Plants Even in Non-N Limited Soils

Cited by 10 publications

References 48 publications

Biological Soil Crusts as Ecosystem Engineers in Antarctic Ecosystem

Biological Soil Crusts as Ecosystem Engineers in Antarctic Ecosystem

Improvement in the physiological and biochemical performance of strawberries under drought stress through symbiosis with Antarctic fungal endophytes

Extreme environments as sources of fungal endophytes mitigating climate change impacts on crops in Mediterranean‐type ecosystems

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