Colonization capacity of the soil micro-organisms in relation to fungistasis

Summary Evans' tube and cellophane agar-disc techniques were used to evaluate the colonization capacity of the soil microbes and fungistasis, respectively. Spore germination ofAlternaria tenuis, Curvularia geniculata, Helminthosporium rostratum andPestalotia sp. was studied on a natural soil. Aspergillus fumigatus was the pioneer colonizer, followed in the order of decreasing colonizing capacity by,A. flavus, A. niger, A. terreus andPenicillium nigricans. Sensitivity of test spores to soil fungistasis declined in the order,C. geniculata → Pestalotia sp. →A. tenuis → H. rostratum. The fungistatic level of the soil samples decreased gradually from side arms 1 to 7 of the Evans tube, inoculated with unsterilized soil from one end. Studies conducted with an inoculum of four soil fungi (A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, andP. nigricans) as well as those involving fumigation of Evans tube by CS₂ also proved the greater colonizing capacity ofA. fumigatus. The level of fungistasis followed closely the colonization pattern of this fungus. When added individually to the soil, all fungi were able to inhibit spore germination of test fungi to some degree or other.     

Hydrolysis of fibrous cotton and reprecipitated cellulose by cellulolytic enzymes from soil micro-organisms

1. The catalytic decomposition of undegraded cellulose in the form of cotton fibres is described with hydrogen peroxide at 0·4–0·04% (w/v) concentration in the presence of ferrous salts at pH3–5. 2. Complete solubilization of 5mg. of cotton fibres occurred in about 7 days in the presence of 0·4% hydrogen peroxide and 0·2mm-ferrous sulphate at the optimum pH4·2–4·3. 3. With 0·4% hydrogen peroxide the most rapid decomposition of cellulose was confined to ferrous sulphate concentrations of approx. 2–0·02mm. If the concentrations of the reagents were decreased in proportion extensive breakdown occurred but much more slowly. 4. In the primary stages of breakdown cotton fibres were disintegrated to very short fibres. These were subsequently solubilized, but there was little accumulation of soluble material. Organic matter was lost from solution as the reaction progressed. 5. Other naturally occurring cellulose-containing materials, such as grass, straw, hay and sawdust, were also disintegrated and solubilized by hydrogen peroxide and ferrous sulphate.     

Exudation of terpenoids by cotton roots

Summary The terpenoid aldehydes, desoxyhemigossypol, desoxy-6-methoxyhemigossypol, hemigossypol, 6-methoxyhemigossypol, gossypol, 6-methoxygossypol, and 6,6′-dimethoxygossypol, previously reported to be present in cotton roots (Gossypium hivsutum L.) were found on absorbing surfaces adjacent to roots. Infection of hypocotyls byRhizoctonia solani increased the quantity of terpenoids exuded by roots. Because these compounds are antimicrobial, their presence in the rhizosphere should be considered in studies of the microflora of cotton roots.     

Production of organic acids by soil micro-organisms

Summary Micro-organisms of the rhizosphere soils in respect of four plant speciesviz sesbania, cowpea, sorghum, and finger millet and those of the non-rhizosphere soil (control) maintained under pot culture conditions were incubated for a fortnight in liquid media containing glucose and the relative amounts and nature of the organic acids produced were investigated by pH changes and chromatographic studies respectively. Micro-organisms with the rhizosphere of all the four plant species produced greater amounts of acids than those of the non-rhizosphere soil. Rhizosphere micro-organisms with legumes produced greater amounts of acids than those with non-legumes. However no qualitative differences were observed in the organic acids produced by the rhizosphere micro-organisms of the four plant species investigated as well as those of non-rhizosphere soil.     

Beneficial interactions between micro-organisms and roots

Microbial activity in the rhizosphere can have positive and negative effects on plants. Some of the beneficial processes act by minimizing the negative effects or by modifying the cropping environment to enhance productivity. Processes that are considered here include the provision of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron to the plant, the biocontrol of diseases and deleterious organisms and the stabilization of soil structures. The use of genetic engineering techniques in studying these processes and generating novel strains which may enhance them is discussed, along with the possible consequences of the release of organisms into the environment.     

The influence of germinating seeds and developing roots on re-establishment of micro-organisms in fumigated soil

A laboratory study was made of re-invasion of soils fumigated in closed containers at rates of 3 ml./sq.ft. 10 in. deep with chloropicrin, methyl bromide and a 67:33 mixture of the two materials (MBC–33), using the dilution plate method of determination. Counts after aeration, 3 weeks later, showed that all three fumigants eliminated practically all fungi. Chloropicrin and MBC–33 also killed almost all bacteria and actinomycetes, whereas fumigation with methyl bromide markedly increased numbers of bacteria without materially altering numbers of actinomycetes. Subsequently, in soils fumigated with chloropicrin or MBC–33, fungi recolonized rapidly, but up to 93 % of the colonies isolated were Trichoderma viride. Increase of fungi in soils fumigated with methyl bromide was slower and Penicillium spp. predominated. Bacteria at first declined in numbers, then increased rapidly in soils fumigated with all three materials. In soils fumigated with methyl bromide, actinomycetes, usually considered to include good antagonists, increased but did not exploit their initial advantage over fungi. In soils fumigated with chloropicrin and MBC–33 actinomycetes did not recolonize in appreciable numbers. The greatest variety of fungous genera occurred in isolates from rhizo-spheres of red beet, but the greatest numbers of colonies of both fungi and bacteria were isolated from rhizospheres of pea and pumpkin. None of the crops tested greatly stimulated recolonization by actinomycetes. Compared with the drastic changes brought about by fumigants the influence of seed and root exudates on either the magnitude or the composition of re-invading micro-organisms was slight.     

Effect of antibiotics on ethylene production by soil micro-organisms

Summary Treatment of arable soils with antibacterial (novobiocin) and antifungal (cycloheximide) agents had no effect on ethylene accumulation. Novobiocin had a very small effect on the growth ofMucor hiemalis and cycloheximide decreased its maximum specific growth rate but neither agent impaired the capacity of the fungal culture to produce ethylene. Caution must therefore be exercised when using antibiotics to establish the source of soil metabolic processes.     

沙冬青与伴生植物深色有隔内生真菌定殖规律及其与土壤因子的相关性

为了探明荒漠环境深色有隔内生真菌(dark septate endophytes, DSE)生态分布和定殖状况, 于2013年7月从宁夏银川、沙坡头和甘肃民勤地区采集沙冬青(Ammopiptanthus mongolicus)及其伴生植物根围0-10、10-20、20-30、30-40、40-50 cm共5个土层土壤样品和根样, 研究了DSE空间定殖规律及其与土壤因子的相关关系。结果表明: 沙冬青和伴生植物根系能被DSE侵染, DSE分布和定殖具有明显的空间异质性, 并与土壤因子密切相关。沙冬青DSE微菌核结构紧凑, 呈团块状, 而伴生植物DSE微菌核零散分布。同一样地, 沙冬青DSE菌丝定殖率、定殖强度和总定殖率较伴生植物高, 而沙冬青和伴生植物微菌核定殖率无显著差异。不同样地, 沙冬青和伴生植物微菌核定殖率无显著差异, 沙冬青DSE菌丝定殖率、定殖强度和总定殖率为沙坡头>银川>民勤; 伴生植物DSE菌丝定殖率、定殖强度和总定殖率为银川>民勤>沙坡头。通径分析和主成分分析表明, 土壤有机质、总球囊霉素、磷酸酶和速效钾是西北荒漠环境中DSE定殖的主要影响因子。     

Colonization and persistence of a plant growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CS85, on roots of cotton seedlings

Pseudomonas fluorescens CS85, which was previously isolated from the rhizosphere of cotton seedlings, acts as both a plant growth-promoting bacterium and a biocontrol agent against cotton pathogens, including Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum gossypii, Fusarium oxysporum f sp. vasinfectum, and Verticillium dahliae. Strain CS85 was labeled separately with luxAB and gusA. The labeled strains were stably maintained and had high levels of expression of the marker genes, luxAB and gusA, after successive transfers on nonselective medium, long-term preservation, and after recovery from soil. The labeled strains displayed similar biocontrol characteristics (e.g., antibiosis, effects of growth-promotion and disease-control) to the original strain. The labeled strains colonized all surfaces of the young plant root zones, such as roots hairs and lateral roots, although the distribution of the labeled strains on the root surfaces was not uniform. Moreover, the population densities of the labeled strains on the root surface were stably maintained at high levels during the first 2 weeks of plant growth in the native soil, so that about 10(7)-10(8) CFU/g root were detected, then decreased gradually. Nevertheless, approximately 10(6) CFU/g root of the labeled strains were observed on the root surfaces 35 d after planting.     

Colonization of roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi using different sources of inoculum

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a number of different infective propagules that are used to form new mycorrhizal associations. These are spores, extraradical hyphae and infected roots. However, not all fungi are equally capable of colonizing roots with all of the above-mentioned propagules and there is conflicting evidence of major differences in colonization strategy between members of the Glomineae and Gigasporineae. In this study, we tested the abilities of eight fungal species from four different genera to colonize roots using three different types of inoculum. Glomus and Acaulospora isolates colonized from all inoculum types, whereas Gigaspora and Scutellospora isolates colonized mainly from spores and to a limited degree from root fragments. Extraradical hyphae were not suitable propagules for the species of Gigaspora and Scutellospora tested. This indicates that AMF have different colonization strategies and that this is largely differentiated at the suborder level. It is unclear why there is such a difference among the fungi in inoculum types. Future research should examine differences in the anatomy and physiology to discern a mechanism for such differences in life-history strategies.     

黄山木兰的丛枝菌根定殖状况

在原产地和引种栽培地采集了国家珍稀濒危植物黄山木兰（Magnolia cylindrica）的根样及其根际土壤样品,研究了根中丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）的定殖状况。AMF在两地黄山木兰的根中均有定殖,并形成典型的Paris-type类型丛枝菌根(AM),原产地黄山木兰的AMF定殖率高于栽培地。用湿筛沉淀法从两地黄山木兰根际土壤中共分离鉴定出5属22种AMF,两地AMF群落相似性系数为0.96。原产地黄山木兰的AMF孢子密度高于栽培地,而Shannon-Wiener多样性指数低于栽培地。研究结果表明,黄山木兰引种栽培后并没有对其根际土壤中AMF的群落结构造成大的改变。     

Effect of copper on the degradation of phenanthrene by soil micro-organisms

AIMS: The effect of copper on the degradation by soil micro-organisms of phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Inert nylon filters were incubated in the soil for 28 days at 25 degrees C. Each filter was inoculated with a soil suspension, phenanthrene (400 ppm), copper (0, 70, 700 or 7000 ppm) and nitrogen/phosphorus sources. The filters were assessed for phenanthrene degradation, microbial respiration and colonization. Phenanthrene degradation proceeded even at toxic copper levels (700/7000 ppm), indicating the presence of phenanthrene-degrading, copper-resistant and/or -tolerant microbes. However, copper at these high levels reduced microbial activity (CO2 evolution). CONCLUSION: High levels of copper caused an incomplete mineralization of phenanthrene and possible accumulation of its metabolites. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The presence of heavy metals in soils could seriously affect the bioremediation of PAH-polluted environments.     

Phosphorus uptake rates of cotton roots at different growth stages from different soil layers

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine P uptake at different growth stages by cotton plants from upper and lower 30 cm layers of 60 cm deep uniform soil columns. A radioisotope tracer technique was used to separate uptake from the two soil layers. Root lengths were measured in both layers at each growth stage. P fluxes were calculated for each layer. Root length increased significantly with time from square formation through peak flowering. At all growth stages, total P uptake from the upper soil layer was greater than that from the lower soil layer. P flux from either layer was greater during early growth stages than during later stages. A significant decrease in P flux occurred when plants reached the flowering stage. The flux from the upper layer was about twice that from the lower layer at square forming stage but the difference decreased as the plants matured. Both layers showed similar P fluxes at the first open boll stage. Our data indicate that roots located 30 to 60 cm below the surface are less effective per unit root length than those located at 0 to 30 cm depth when all roots are in the same soil environmental conditions. However, the effectiveness of P absorption from different soil depths under field conditions may depend on the environmental conditions that exist in each soil depth.     

Influence of available aluminium on soil micro-organisms

P. ILLMER, K. MARSCHALL AND F. SCHINNER. 1995. Forest soils were selected which covered a wide range of aluminium concentrations (7 to μmol g^-1dry matter), but which differed as little as possible from one another in their soil chemical characteristics, including pH. These soils were examined with respect to microbial biomass and respiration, activity of cellulase, N-mineralization, colony-forming units of bacteria and fungi, and the concentrations of several inorganic soil components. The influences of altitude, climate, vegetation and, especially, of soil acidity could be kept to a minimum and so differences between the soil microfloras could clearly be attributed to Al concentration.
Al concentration was recognized to be the main inhibiting factor for the microbial biomass in soil. While N-mineralization was severely inhibited by aluminium, cellulase activity was hardly affected by increasing Al concentrations.
By taking the Al concentration along with various other soil chemical parameters a linear model could be developed that allowed more than 98% of the variability of the microbial biomass in soil to be explained.