Response Mechanism of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Synthesized by Alternaria sp. on Drought Stress in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

This study investigates how extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) synthesized by dark septate endophytic (DSE) improve alfalfa's drought resistance. Drought stress was simulated in hydroponic culture, and roots were treated with different EPS concentrations to determine their effects on drought tolerance and applicable concentrations. Hydroponic solutions with 0.25 and 0.50% EPS concentrations alleviated leaf wilting and increased total plant fresh weight by 35.8 and 57.7%, respectively. SEM shows that EPS attached to the roots and may have served to protect the root system. EPS treatment significantly depressed the MDA contents of the roots, stems, and leaves. Roots responded to drought stress by increasing soluble sugar contents and antioxidant enzyme activities, while mitigating stem and leaf stress by synthesizing lipid compounds, amino acids, and organic acid metabolites. Five metabolites in the stem have been reported to be associated with plant stress tolerance and growth, namely 3-O-methyl 5-O-(2-methyl propyl) (4S)-2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-3,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate, malic acid, PA (20:1(11Z)/15:0), N-methyl-4,6,7-trihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, and 2-(S-glutathionyl) acetyl glutathione. In summary, EPS treatment induced oxidative stress and altered plant metabolism, and this in turn increased plant antioxidant capacity. The results provide a theoretical basis for the application of EPS in commercial products that increase plant resistance and ecological restoration.

[Effect of film mulching and microbial inoculation on maize growth and water use efficiency under drought stress.] / 干旱胁迫下覆膜和接种微生物对玉米生长与水分利用效率的影响.

To resolve the problem of soil nutrient and water deficiency in arid and semiarid regions of Northwest China, and considering the symbiotic relationship between microbes and crops, we set up two water regimes: drought stress (35% of the soil water holding capacity) and normal water supply (75% of the soil water holding capacity), two film mulching patterns (non-film mulching and film mulching), and four levels of microbial inoculation [single inoculation with AM fungi (AM), single inoculation with phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), co-inoculation of AM fungi with phosphate solubilizing bacteria (AM+PSB) and the control (CK)]. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of microbial inoculation on maize growth, nutrient absorption, and water use efficiency under different treatments of water regime and film mulching. Results showed that drought stress significantly increased the mycorrhizal colonization of inoculated plants, but significantly decreased soil external hyphal length, T-GRSP and EE-GRSP content. Under drought stress, AM inoculation showed the best promoting and mycorrhizal effect on maize growth by increasing biomass and water use efficiency, soil organic carbon content, the absorption and transportation of soil N, P, K, and thus increasing the N, P, K uptake. Under normal water supply, the inoculation effect of AM+PSB was better than that of AM or PSB treatment, especially combined with film mulching. Results from correlation analysis showed that plant biomass, leaf SPAD value, and nutrient uptake of maize aboveground were significantly positively correlated with soil external hyphal length, whereas water use efficiency was significantly negatively correlated with soil external hyphal length.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance soil carbon sequestration in the coalfields, northwest China.

Carbon storage is affected by photosynthesis (Pn) and soil respiration (Rs), which have been studied extensively in natural and agricultural systems. However, the effects of Pn and Rs on carbon storages in the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in coalfields remain unclear. A field experiment was established in 2014 in Shendong coal mining subsidence area. The treatments comprised two inoculation levels (inoculated with or without 100 g AMF inoculums per seedlings) and four plant species [wild cherry (Prunus discadenia Koebne L.), cerasus humilis (Prunus dictyneura Diels L.), shiny leaf Yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge L.) and apricot (Armeniaca sibirica L.)]. AMF increased Pn of four species ranging from 15.3% to 33.1% and carbon storage, averaged by 17.2% compared to controls. Soil organic carbon (OC), easily extractable glomalin-relation soil protein (EE-GRSP), and total glomalin-relation soil protein (T-GRSP) were significantly increased by AMF treatment. The effect of AMF on the sensitivity of Rs depended on soil temperature. The results highlighted the exponential models to explain the responses of Rs to soil temperature, and for the first time quantified AMF caused carbon sequestration and Rs. Thus, to our knowledge, AMF is beneficial to ecosystems through facilitating carbon conservation in coalfield soils.

[Effects of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on environmental phytoremediation in coal mine areas].

To resolve the key environmental problems in coal mine areas of environmental phytoremediation, symbiosis of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Amorpha fruticosa was investigated. Effects of AMF on the root growth of Amorpha fruticosa and degenerated soil in coal mining subsidence area were studied. Results showed that after 5 months inoculation, AMF improved the shoot and root growth of Amorpha fruticosa. After inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) for 5 months, the inoculation significantly increased root colonization of Amorpha fruticosa. Total glomalin and easily extractable glomalin were increased significantly in the incubated soil. The content of phosphorus and organic matter were increased in the rhizosphere soil. Population of microorganism increased obviously. All the above results show that their ecological effects are significantly improved. AM would promote rhizosphere soil that will help the sustainability of ecological systems in mining area. It is really of great significance to keep the ecological system stability.