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Figure 1: Glomus spp. samples up close, Image From: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/B08-138
Introduction
Introduction
Glomus spp. is a fungi that forms symbiotic relationships with plant roots. (Glomus, n.d.)
Glomus spp. can form mutualistic symbiotic relationships benefiting the fungi and plant by promoting growth, nutrient uptake, etc. (Glomus, n.d.).
Glomus spp. can form antagonistic symbiotic relationships where only 1 organism benefits, either the fungi or the plant (Glomus, n.d.).
There are 90+ species in the Glomus genus (Glomus, n.d.)
Glomus = arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus, n.d.)
spp. = multiple species (Glomus, n.d.)
Taxonomy
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Fungi ("Catalogue of Life, 2006")
Phylum: Glomeromycota
Subphylum: Glomeromycotina
Class: Glomeromycetes
Order: Glomerales
Family: Glomeraceae
Genus: Glomus
Species: Glomus spp.
Figure 2: Glomus spp. samples, Image From: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/B08-138
Figure 3: Samples of Glomus spp. Image From: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/glomus-macrocarpum
Background
In mutualistic symbiotic relationships with plant roots, Glomus spp. aids in the growth of plants under extreme conditions.
Glomus spp. reproduces asexually through spores ("Glomus", n.d.).
Spores are produced in the roots, where the spores undergo germination, until the fungi reach the root cells ("Glomus", n.d.)
Glomus spp. can be found in nearly all terrestrial habitats. Environments were Glomus spp. can be found are shorelines, grasslands, and deserts ("Glomus", n.d.)
The primary literature, "Community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a coastal vegetation on Okinawa Island and effect of the isolated fungi on growth of sorghum under salt-treated conditions," discusses the effect Glomus spp. has on the plant sorghum at varying salinity levels (Yamato et al, 2008).
Information on Primary Literature
8 root samples of Convoluvulacea, 3 root samples of Leguminosae, and 3 root samples of Poaceae were collected. (Yamato et al, 2008).
From the 14 samples collected three types of Glomus spp. were detected (Yamato et al, 2008).
Type A1 and Type A2
Type B
Each of the 3 species of Glomus spp. collected, were applied to the plant sorghum at different salinity levels (0, 100, 200 mM) (Yamato et al, 2008).
In the bar graphs below, the dotted bars (con) represent the control group. The diagonally striped bars (OGS1) represent Type B, the vertically striped bars (OGS8) represent Type A1, and the crossed bars (OGS12) represent Type A2 (Yamato et al, 2008).
Data Analysis
Data Analysis
Type A1, A2, and B were each used on 6 replicates for each salinity concentration over a 56 day period where sorghum received the required nutrients at the different salinity levels every 2 weeks. There was a control group that did not contain any Glomus spp. (Yamato et al, 2008).
The shoot dry weight graph and root dry weight graph indicate the level of growth of sorghum at different salinity levels. In both graphs, the lowest dry weight in shoots and roots was in 200 mM. This indicates under the extreme condition of 200 mM Glomus spp. was unable to fully promote the growth of sorghum compared to 0 mM and 100 mM (Yamato et al, 2008).
The colonization rate between the Type A1, Type A2, and Type B fluctuated from 0 mM, 100 mM, and 200 mM remained relatively high. The change in salinity did not cause a drastic change in the colonization rate does not affect the growth of Glomus spp. itself. However, the similar colonization rates in all three salinity rates, indicates Glomus spp. is less effective in higher salinity (Yamato et al, 2008).
Conclusion
From the 6 replicates of the control group, Type A1, Type A2, and Type B at each salinity 0, 100, and 200 mM it was determined the spread of Glomus spp. does not decreases as the salinity level increases (Yamato et al, 2008).
As the level of salinity the amount of growth Glomus spp. promoted decreased. In higher salinities growth decreased, this was specifically seen in 200 mM (Yamato et al, 2008).
The importance of this discovery is as salinity level increases, the spread of Glomus spp. remains consistent, however its promotion of growth in plants decreases as salinity increases.
Future research could be done on different plants, different salt types, and different nutrition levels.
References
"Glomus (fungus).” Bionity.com [Internet]. Lumitos. n.d. Available from: https://www.bionity.com/en/encyclopedia/Glomus_%28fungus%29.html#_ref-0/
Web.archive [Internet]. Species 2000. ‘Catalogue of Life: 2006 Annual Checklist.” 2006. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20070313093247/http://annual.sp2000.org/browse_taxa.phppath=0,16963400,16964022,16964023,16964032,16964033,170089 04&selected_taxon=17008904
Yamato, M., Ikeda, S. & Iwase, K. 2008 “Community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a coastal vegetation on Okinawa island and effect of the isolated fungi on growth of sorghum under salt-treated conditions.” Mycorrhiza 18: 241–249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-008-0177-2
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