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Soil-borne fungi influence seed germination and mortality, with implications for coexistence of desert winter annual plants.

ABSTRACT: Soil-borne fungi influence coexistence of plant species in mesic environments, but much less is known about their effects on demographic processes relevant to coexistence in arid and semi-arid systems. We isolated 43 fungal strains that naturally colonize seeds of an invasive winter annual (Brassica tournefortii) in the Sonoran Desert, and evaluated the impact of 18 of them on seed germination and mortality of B. tournefortii and a co-occurring native annual (Plantago ovata) under simulated summer and winter temperatures. Fungi isolated from B. tournefortii seeds impacted germination and mortality of seeds of both plant species in vitro. Seed responses reflected host-specific effects by fungi, the degree of which differed significantly between the strains, and depended on the temperature. In the winter temperature, ten fungal strains increased or reduced seed germination, but substantial seed mortality due to fungi was not observed. Two strains increased germination of P. ovata more strongly than B. tournefortii. In the summer temperature, fungi induced both substantial seed germination and mortality, with ten strains demonstrating host-specificity. Under natural conditions, host-specific effects of fungi on seed germination may further differentiate plant species niche in germination response, with a potential of promoting coexistence. Both host-specific and non-host-specific effects of fungi on seed loss may induce polarizing effects on plant coexistence depending on the ecological context. The coexistence theory provides a clear framework to interpret these polarizing effects. Moreover, fungi pathogenic to both plant species could induce host-specific germination, which challenges the theoretical assumption of density-independent germination response. These implications from an in vitro study underscore the need to weave theoretical modeling, reductive empirical experiments, and natural observations to illuminate effects of soil-borne fungi on coexistence of annual plant species in variable desert environments.

SUBMITTER: Li YM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6822719 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Soil-borne fungi influence seed germination and mortality, with implications for coexistence of desert winter annual plants.

Li Yue M YM Shaffer Justin P JP Hall Brenna B Ko Hongseok H

PloS one 20191031 10

Soil-borne fungi influence coexistence of plant species in mesic environments, but much less is known about their effects on demographic processes relevant to coexistence in arid and semi-arid systems. We isolated 43 fungal strains that naturally colonize seeds of an invasive winter annual (Brassica tournefortii) in the Sonoran Desert, and evaluated the impact of 18 of them on seed germination and mortality of B. tournefortii and a co-occurring native annual (Plantago ovata) under simulated summ ...[more]

PMID: 31671129

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Project description:: Seed-borne fungi in 69 sunflower cultivars were evaluated which comprised 52 confectionery and 17 oilseed types. Seed coats were placed on both NP-10 (Nonylphenol Ethoxylate based surfacant -10) and potato dextrose agar (PDA) media to culture fungi. The rate of contamination among the different varieties was calculated by counting seed coats with fungal colonies. The rate of contamination in the confectionary group (88%) was significantly (p ? 0.05) higher than in the oilseed group (71%). Of the 52 confectionery varieties, the dominant fungi recovered were Verticillium dahliae along with Alternaria spp., Fusarium spp., and Rhizopus spp., whereas the oilseed type varieties were contaminated with only V. dahliae. Molecular identification of fungal species via BLAST (Basic Alignment Search Tool) was performed on fungal sequences obtained from PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis. The results included five Alternaria spp. that included Alternaria tenuissima, Alternaria alternata, Alternaria helianthiinficiens, Alternaria longipes, and Alternaria tamaricis, three Fusarium spp. such as Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium incarnatum, and Fusarium proliferatum, and V. dahliae and Cladosporium cladosporioides. These were identified from pure fungal cultures recovered from seed coats. To efficiently control seed-borne fungi, four broad spectrum fungicides (carbendazim, triadimefon, caprio F-500, and flusilazole) were screened against V. dahliae isolate Gn3, which was isolated from a diseased LD 5009 sunflower plant. Flusilazole was selected based on its low half-maximal effective concentration value (EC50), 78.7 µg/mL. Seeds of diseased LD 5009 plants obtained from two different locations treated with formulated flusilazole fungicide at optimum parameters showed a significant (p ? 0.05) increase in seed germination and a decrease in contamination rate from 98% to less than 10%. The results affirmed that confectionery cultivars are much more susceptible to fungal contamination than oilseeds, and also that seed pretreatment is a suitable way to prevent the spread of soil- and seed-borne fungi in sunflower production.

Project description:BackgroundSome root-parasitic plants belonging to the Orobanche, Phelipanche or Striga genus represent one of the most destructive and intractable weed problems to agricultural production in both developed and developing countries. Compared with most of the other weeds, parasitic weeds are difficult to control by conventional methods because of their life style. The main difficulties that currently limit the development of successful control methods are the ability of the parasite to produce a tremendous number of tiny seeds that may remain viable in the soil for more than 15 years. Seed germination requires induction by stimulants present in root exudates of host plants. Researches performed on these minute seeds are until now tedious and time-consuming because germination rate is usually evaluated in Petri-dish by counting germinated seeds under a binocular microscope.ResultsWe developed an easy and fast method for germination rate determination based on a standardized 96-well plate test coupled with spectrophotometric reading of tetrazolium salt (MTT) reduction. We adapted the Mosmann's protocol for cell cultures to germinating seeds and determined the conditions of seed stimulation and germination, MTT staining and formazan salt solubilization required to obtain a linear relationship between absorbance and germination rate. Dose-response analyses were presented as applications of interest for assessing half maximal effective or inhibitory concentrations of germination stimulants (strigolactones) or inhibitors (ABA), respectively, using four parameter logistic curves.ConclusionThe developed MTT system is simple and accurate. It yields reproducible results for germination bioassays of parasitic plant seeds. This method is adapted to high-throughput screenings of allelochemicals (stimulants, inhibitors) or biological extracts on parasitic plant seed germination, and strengthens the investigations of distinctive features of parasitic plant germination.

Project description:Background and aimsSeveral studies have demonstrated trade-offs between depth of seed dormancy and dispersal ability for diaspore-dimorphic species. However, relatively little is known about trade-offs between these two life history traits for a species that produces more than two diaspore morphs. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between seed dormancy and dispersal in Ceratocarpus arenarius, an amphi-basicarpic cold desert annual that produces a continuum of dispersal unit morphs.MethodsA comparison was made of dispersal and dormancy breaking/germination responses of dispersal units from ground level (a), the middle of the plant canopy (c) and the top of the plant canopy (f). Various features of the morphology and mass of dispersal units and fruits (utricles) were measured. The role of bracteoles in diaspore dispersal by wind, settlement onto the soil surface and dormancy/germination was determined by comparing responses of intact dispersal units and fruits. Movement of dispersal units by wind and animals, seed after-ripening, germination phenology and the presence of water-soluble germination inhibitors in bracteoles were tested using standard procedures.Key resultsDispersal units a, c and f differed in morphology and mass; in the majority of cases, extremes were exhibited by a and f, with c being intermediate. Overall, relative dispersal ability was f > c > a, whereas relative intensity of dormancy was a > c > f. Bracteoles increased dispersal distance by wind, enhanced settlement of diaspores onto the soil surface and mechanically inhibited germination.ConclusionsThe results provide evidence for a model in which there is a continuous inverse-linear relationship between diaspore dispersal ability and depth of dormancy. Thus, dispersal unit heteromorphism of C. arenarius results in a continuum, from no dispersal ability/high dormancy (dispersal unit a) to high dispersal ability/low dormancy (unit f), which may be a bet-hedging strategy in the cold desert environment.

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Soil-borne fungi influence seed germination and mortality, with implications for coexistence of desert winter annual plants.

Publications

Soil-borne fungi influence seed germination and mortality, with implications for coexistence of desert winter annual plants.

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