Record ID No. |
2312 |
Author(s) |
Leigh J., Hodge A., Fitter A. H. , 2009 |
Affiliation |
University of York, Dept Biol, POB 373, York YO10 5YW, N Yorkshire, England, Email: jml112@york.ac.uk |
Title |
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can transfer substantial amounts of nitrogen to their host plant from organic material |
Source. Vol.(no):Page |
New Phytologist. 181(1): 199-207p. |
Categories |
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza |
Subjects |
Biochemistry |
Sub-subjects |
Nitrogen metabolism |
Host |
Plantago lanceolata |
Organism |
Glomus hoi, G. intraradices |
Country |
UK, Northern Europe |
Abstracts |
Nitrogen (N) capture by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi from organic material is a recently discovered phenomenon. This study investigated the ability of two Glomus species to transfer N from organic material to host plants and examined whether the ability to capture N is related to fungal hyphal growth. Experimental microcosms had two compartments; these contained either a single plant of Plantago lanceolata inoculated with Glomus hoi or Glomus intraradices, or a patch of dried shoot material labelled with N-15 and (13)carbon (C). In one treatment, hyphae, but not roots, were allowed access to the patch; in the other treatment, access by both hyphae and roots was prevented. When allowed, fungi proliferated in the patch and captured N but not C, although G. Intraradices transferred more N than G. Hoi to the plant. Plants colonized with G. Intraradices had a higher concentration of N than controls. Up to one-third of the patch N was captured by the AM fungi and transferred to the plant, while c. 20% of plant N may have been patch derived. These findings indicate that uptake from organic N could be important in AM symbiosis for both plant and fungal partners and that some AM fungi may acquire inorganic N from organic sources. |