Plants possess highly sensitive perception systems by which they recognize signal compounds originating from microbes. These molecular cues play an important role in both symbiotic and pathogenic relationships. Establishment of the soybean (Glycine max)-Bradyrhizobium symbiosis is orchestrated by specific signal molecules exchanged between appropriate plant and microbe partners: flavonoids as plant-to-bacteria signals, and Nod factor as bacteria-to-plant signals. How this signaling process interacts with stress conditions (abiotic and biotic) is the subject of this thesis. The abiotic stresses were suboptimal growth temperature, low pH, and salinity. Suboptimal growth temperatures affected the ability of the microsymbiont, Bradyrhizobim japonicum, to perceive nod gene inducers (genistein) and produce Nod factor. Nod Bj-V (C18:1, MeFuc) production by B. japonicum strains 523C and USDA110 was strongly affected by suboptimal growth temperature. Nod factor production declined with temperature, from 28 to 15°C. Strain USDA110 was more affected by decreased temperature than strain 532C. Decreased Nod factor production at low temperature was due to both decreased bacterial growth and lower production efficiency (Nod factor per cell). When a 1:1 mixture of Nod factor Nod Bj-V (C18:1, MeFuc) and Nod Bj-V (Ac, C16:0, MeFuc) was applied to soybean roots, root hair deformation increased as Nod factor concentration increased under stressfully low temperature and low pH conditions. High salinity stress strongly reduced the root hair deformation caused by Nod factor, and increasing the concentrations of added Nod factor did not over come this. Exogenous application of Nod Bj-V (C18:1, MeFuc), from strain 532C, to soybean root systems under two root zone temperatures (RZTs---17 and 25°C) reduced the progression of disease (powdery mildew---Microsphaera difussa) development on soybean leaves; this effect increased with Nod factor concentration and was gr

Bibliography: leaves 153-185. / [ix], 200, [29] leaves, [6] leaves of plates : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhiza formation is a complex process which is under the genetic control of both plant and fungus. This project aims to develop a model infection system in Hordeum vulgare L. (barley) suitable for molecular analysis; to identify host plant genes differentially expressed during the early stages of the infection process; and to screen a mutant barley population for phenotypes which form abnormal mycorrhizas. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Plant Science, 1995

Ultramafic soils enriched in nickel, such as found in Australia and New Caledonia, are associated with unique, diverse and poorly known vegetation communities. Re-establishment of these highly specific ecosystems is still a challenge for Ni mining companies. Ultramafic vegetation communities are the outcome of a long evolution process resulting in their adaptation to the extreme soil conditions found on ultramafic outcrops. Mycorrhizal fungi, a very common plant symbiont, are generally thought to be beneficial to plants in other ecosystems, providing plants with phosphorus and even promoting metal tolerance in plants in some cases. We examined the hypothesis that mycorrhizal fungi may contribute to the survival of plants in ultramafic soil conditions. Bandalup Hill, an ultramafic outcrop enriched in Ni (South West of Western Australia) was selected to assess the contribution of mycorrhizal fungi to ultramafic plants. Soil constraints, in particular the degree of Ni toxicity, were assessed at two sites with ultramafic soils within the outcrop. Total metal, nutrient, DTPA extractable Ni and available P were measured in soil while Ni, Ca and Mg were tested in the soil solution. In addition, nutrients and metals were analyzed in shoots of some plant species occurring at each site: Eucalyptus flocktoniae, Melaleuca pomphostoma, Melaleuca coronicarpa and Hakea verucosa. Topsoils in Bandalup Hill and plant shoots had high levels of Ni, and very low levels of P, K and N. Variation in DTPA extractable Ni between sites reflected the variation in shoot Ni level of E. flocktoniae and M. pomphostoma. Variations in soil solution Ni levels reflected variations in shoot Ni levels of M. coronicarpa and H. verucosa between sites. The germination requirements of the plant species used to assess the soil constraints was assessed. Species selected included Eucalyptus flocktoniae, Melaleuca coronicarpa, and Hakea verucosa. Seeds of E. flocktoniae and M. coronicarpa had a higher germination rate if pre-treated with smoke water, while no pre-treatment was required to germinate H. verucosa seeds. The unusual germination requirement of E. flocktoniae and M. coronicarpa involve complex chemical signals that may be present in the soil when the conditions are more favorable for plant establishment. Such unusual germination requirement may represent an adaptation to the hostile conditions of the ultramafic soils of Bandalup Hill. The mycorrhizal association and root characteristics of the selected plant species was also assessed after 8 weeks of growth in undisturbed ultramafic topsoil cores from Bandalup Hill. Roots of these species (including H. verucosa from a previously designated non-mycorrhizal family, Proteaceae) were associated with mycorrhizal fungi. Roots of E. flocktoniae and M. coronicarpa were colonized by both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM), while roots of H. verucosa only contained some AM fungal structures. All species had high shoot to root ratios and their root characteristics reflected their association with mycorrhizal fungi. Based on the previous observations, uninoculated and inoculated E. flocktoniae seedlings were grown for 10 to 16 weeks in sand amended with Ni at 0, 0.2, 1 and 2.3 mg/kg. Mycorrhizal inoculum consisted of spores of Pisolithus sp. (ECM) or a mix of AMF spores and colonized root fragments, both originating from Bandalup Hill. Another inoculum consisted in Pisolithus sp. spores from a site with ultramafic soils in New Caledonia. Inoculation with AM and ECM fungi from Bandalup Hill was beneficial to E. flocktoniae. Benefits consisted mainly of a reduction of Ni shoot translocation at the highest Ni soil level. At 1 mg/kg soil Ni, E. flocktoniae exhibited a certain degree of tolerance to Ni. A substantial increase in growth and nutrient uptake with Pisolithus sp. from Western Australia was also observed. The contribution of AM fungi from Bandalup Hill to E. flocktoniae, M. coronicarpa, H. verucosa, and Trifolium subterraneum (clover) was then examined in ultramafic soil from Bandalup Hill.Steaming of ultramafic soil increased the availability and plant uptake of P. Consequently, uninoculated seedlings grew better, and inoculation with AM fungi decreased the growth of native plant species but did not affect their shoot Ni concentration. The presence of AM fungi increased the concentration of P in shoots of native plants species. Inoculation had no effect on the growth and nutrient content of subterranean clover. As mining activities have the potential to reduce the infectivity of AM fungi in topsoils, the effect of disturbance and storage practices on the AM infectivity of ultramafic topsoils collected in summer or winter from Bandalup Hill was investigated. Disturbance consisted in passing topsoil through a 2mm seive and cutting roots into 1cm fragments. Disturbed topsoil was then stored at room temperature in pots that were either sealed from the atmosphere or left open, and pots were maintained at field capacity. E. flocktoniae seedlings were planted in undisturbed and disturbed topsoil just after topsoil collect and then after 3, 6 and 9 months of topsoil storage. AM fungi present in the topsoil collected in summer was less susceptible to initial disturbance than AM fungi present in topsoil collected during winter. Also, storage of topsoil in sealed pots watered to field capacity was more detrimental to its infectivity than storage of topsoil in dry conditions. Mycorrhizal fungi can contribute to the survival of some native plant species in the ultramafic soils of Bandalup Hill and they may represent another strategy to improve the success of Ni mine revegetation. However, such contribution may not be the unique avenue for native plants to survive in ultramafic soils of Bandalup Hill.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Plant Science, 1996? / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-185).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 138 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-119).

Thesis (M.Sc.)(Plant Science))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Biochemistry, Microbiology & Biotechnology)) - Rhodes University, 2008.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Acadia University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-51). Also available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Orientadores: Márcia Regina Braga, Fábio Sérgio Barbosa da Silva / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T06:23:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Coelho_LeilyaneConceicaodeSouza_D.pdf: 6987430 bytes, checksum: fca51edac0c11a47ee297e2afe9a5a4c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. é uma Fabaceae com potencial para revegetação de áreas degradadas e que forma simbiose com fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA). Suas sementes possuem aleloquímicos que são exsudados no início do processo de embebição e encontrados no ambiente que circunda a semente germinante. Ao analisar a co-germinação de S. virgata com sementes de tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.), foi observada inibição da germinação e redução no índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG) de sementes de tomate, afetando severamente o crescimento inicial da plântula. Para arroz (Oryza sativa L.), os únicos parâmetros sensíveis à co-germinação com S. virgata foram o comprimento radicular e da parte aérea. A avaliação dos efeitos alelopáticos de extratos aquosos de exsudatos de sementes de S. virgata sobre essas espécies agronômicas mostrou que a germinação e o crescimento das plântulas foram afetados já com a menor concentração utilizada (1 mg mL-1). Além disso, em presença do exsudato, as sementes de tomate e arroz mostraram redução na mobilização dos carboidratos de reserva, fato não observado quando (+)-catequina comercial foi utilizada, sugerindo que existem outros compostos alelopáticos em sementes de S. virgata, além da (+)-catequina, que podem interferir no desenvolvimento das espécies estudadas. Os exsudatos de sementes de S. virgata reduziram a atividade da endo-?-mananase e aumentaram a da invertase ácida vacuolar em tomate, enquanto que a (+)-catequina comercial promoveu a atividade da endo-?-mananase e inibiu a da invertase ácida de parede celular. Ao examinar os efeitos de exsudatos brutos de sementes e de raízes de S. virgata em relação à fase assimbiótica de FMA, avaliando-se a germinação e o crescimento micelial in vitro de esporos de Gigaspora albida Becker & Hall, foi observado estímulo a G. albida somente na presença dos exsudatos de sementes. Pode-se concluir que as sementes de S. virgata apresentam efeito alelopático sobre as espécies agronômicas avaliadas, inibindo o seu crescimento e interferindo com a mobilização de reservas, e que seus exsudatos exercem efeitos positivos sobre a fase assimbiótica de G. albida / Abstract: Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. is a legume species with potential for restoration of degraded areas and that forms symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Their seeds have allelochemicals that are exudated at the beginning of the imbibition process and found in the environment that surrounds the germinating seed. Co-germination of S. virgata with seeds of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) caused reduction in the germination percentage and germination speed index (IVG) of tomato, severely affecting seedling initial growth. Co-germination of rice (Oryza sativa L.) with S. virgata reduced root length and the growth of the aerial part of rice seedlings. The allelopathic effects of the S. virgata seed exudates on germination and seedling growth of these agronomic species were seen at the lowest assayed concentration (1 mg mL-1). In addition, in the presence of the exudates, reduction in mobilization of storage carbohydrates was observed in seeds of tomato and rice, an effect that was not seen when commercial (+)-catechin was used. These results suggest that, besides (+)-catechin, there are other allelopathic compounds in seeds of S. virgata that can interfere with the development of the agronomic species. In tomato, seed exudates of S. virgata reduced the activity of endo-?-mannanase and increased vacuolar acid invertase, whereas commercial (+)-catechin promoted the activity of endo-?-mannanase and inhibited cell wall acid invertase. When seed or root exudates of S. virgata were assayed on the assymbiotic phase of the AMF, spore germination and mycelial growth of Gigaspora albida Becker & Hall were stimulated in vitro only in the presence of the seed exudates. We concluded that seeds of S. virgata have allelopathic effect on agronomic species, inhibiting their growth and interfering with the mobilization of reserves and that their exudates exert positive effects on the assymbiotic phase of G. albida / Doutorado / Biologia Celular / Doutora em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are mutually beneficial symbiotic associations between the roots of plants and certain Zygomycetous fungi. The role of AM fungi in coastal sand dunes has been explored in many parts of the world, though little work has been conducted in South African dune systems. This study aimed to investigate the presence and extent of mycorrhizal colonisation of a coastal sand dune in South Africa. The roots of five plant species (Scaevola plumieri, Arctotheca populifolia, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Ehrharta villosa and Chrysanthemoides monilifera) were sampled along a foredune profile at Old Woman's River in the Eastern Cape. These roots were assessed for the percentage mycorrhizal colonisation they supported. Spores extracted from the rhizosphere sand of each plant species were counted and identified to genus level. Results were related to seasonality and the position of the plants along the profile. All plant species were found to be mycorrhizal. Percentage colonisation ranged from 0-92%, depending on plant species and season. Mycorrhizal colonisation was generally highest in the winter months, and especially so in I pes-caprae and E. villosa. The extent of various mycorrhizal structures in root tissue varied between plant species. Spore numbers ranged from 0-48 spores 100g-1 sand with highest numbers occurring in winter. S. plumieri and A. populifolia were associated with greatest spore abundance. Four fungal genera (Glomus, Acaulospora, Scutellospora and Gigaspora) were identified. Distribution of these genera showed seasonal variations between plant species. A bioassay, using Sorghum, was conducted to test the inoculum potentials of sand from the Scaevola hummock and the IpomoealEhrharta dune. Highest percentage colonisation occurred in plants grown in the Scaevola sand, which also had the lowest root and shoot measurements. The bioassay confirmed that AM propagules are present and viable, even in the mobile sand of the foredune. This study showed that mycorrhizal colonisation and spore numbers varied seasonally, but that the extent of this was dependent on plant species. The position of plants along the foredune profile tended to be less important than plant species. It is thought that the growth cycle and rooting system of each plant species determines seasonal cycles and abundance of AM fungi. Variation within fungal populations probably also impacts on this. Knowledge of the presence and distribution of AM fungi in this system paves the way for more detailed studies which need to examine the role of these endophytes in South African sand dunes.