Role of ectomycorrhizal colonization in enhancement of nutrients for survival of plants collected from mountainous cold stress areas

• Published in: BMC Microbiology
• Main Authors: Umar, Aisha, Mwaheb, Mai Ali, Ameen, Fuad, Almomani, Fares, Dufossé, Laurent, Gancarz, Marek
• Other Authors: University of the Punjab, Fayoum University, King Saud University Riyadh (KSU), Qatar University, Chimie et Biotechnologie des Produits Naturels (CHEMBIOPRO), Université de La Réunion (UR), University of Agriculture in Krakow, Institute of Agrophysics (IA PAS), Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences = Académie polonaise des sciences (PAN)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2024
• Subjects: Herbaceous plant; Fungi; Ectomycorrhiza; Hartig net; Kobresia; Polygonum; Altitude; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; Polygonum viviparum
• Online Access: https://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-04692501; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-024-03453-8

International audience Background: Ectomycorrhizal (ECM and ECM-like) structures associated with plant root systems are a challenge forscientists. The dispersion pattern of roots within the soil profile and the nutritional conditions are both favourablefactors to motivate the plants to make ECM associations.Results: This study discusses the colonization of mycorrhizal associations in Kobresia and Polygonum species includingPolygonum viviparum, Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, Alnus nitida, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, and Trifolium repensgrown naturally in cold stressed soils of Gilgit-Baltistan (high-altitude alpine Deosai plains), Hazara, Swat, Dir, andBajaur. Sieved soil batches were exposed to +5 °C (control), -10, -20, -30, -40, -50, -125 °C for 5 h, and selected plantswere sown to these soils for 10 weeks under favourable conditions for ECM colonization. Ectomycorrhizal associationswere examined in the above mentioned plants. Some ECM fungi have dark mycelia that look like the mantle andHartig net. Examples of these are Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, and Polygonum viviparum. Findings of this studyrevealed that K. myosuroides excelled in ECM root tip length, dry mass, and NH4 concentration at -125 °C. Contrarily,A. nitida demonstrated the lower values, indicated its minimum tolerance. Notably, T. repens boasted the highestnitrogen concentration (18.7 ± 1.31 mg/g), while P. sylvestris led in phosphorus (3.2 ± 0.22 mg/g). The B. pendulashowed the highest potassium concentration (9.4 ± 0.66 mg/g), emphasising species-specific nutrient uptakecapabilities in extreme cold conditions. The PCA analysis revealed that the parameters, e.g., NH4 in soil mix (NH4), NO3in soil mix (NO3), phosphorus in soil in species of Polygonum viviparum, Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, Alnus nitida,Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, and Trifolium repens are most accurately represented in cases of + 5 °C, -10 °C, and -20 °Ctemperatures. On the other hand, the parameters for ECM root tips (ECM) and Dry Mass (DM) are best ...