Investigating the impact of the mycorrhizal inoculum on the resident fungal community and on plant growth

Chitosan hydrogel microspheres loaded with Bacillus subtilis promote plant growth and reduce chromium uptake

Cr contamination can lead to reduced crop yields and threaten food security. Eliminating soil Cr contamination or improving crop resistance to Cr is challenging in terms of costly, environment and biodiversity risk. Here, we used chitosan hydrogel microspheres loaded with Bacillus subtilis to cope with plant stress caused by Cr contamination. The addition of chitosan hydrogel microspheres loaded with Bacillus subtilis increased shoot biomass by 88 % and decreased the plant Cr concentration by 17 %. The bacterial chitosan hydrogel microsphere treatment enhanced the decomposition of organic matter and facilitated the uptake of nutrients by the plants. It also significantly increased the abundance of anti-heavy metal stress functional bacteria (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi), strongly promoting interactions and correlations between microbes. This technology of bacterial-chitosan hydrogel microspheres presents promising opportunities for sustainable strategies for addressing heavy metal pollution and enhancing agricultural productivity.

The expansion of fungal organisms in environmental biotechnology

Fungal organisms hold vital roles in ecosystem processes. Despite their intricate entanglement with most life on earth and their powerful metabolic capacities, they remain under-represented in environmental biotechnology. The interest in applying fungal biotechnologies to different environments is growing, as light is shed on their versatile potential. A diversity of fungi can be harnessed to promote crop yield, remediate pollutants from terrestrial and aquatic environments, and mitigate climate change impacts. Current technological advancements, such as the increase in high-accuracy 'omics pipelines, provide improvement. However, it is emphasized that there are many knowledge gaps regarding applying fungal biotechnology at scale where other organisms are inherently present. Hence, there is a dire need to increase funding that enables in-depth studies on fungal processes, such as degradation capacities, metabolite production, and cross-kingdom interactions, that promote climate-smart biotechnologies.

Microbiome transfer from native to invasive species may increase invasion risk

In a fast-changing world, understanding how organisms adapt to their environment is a pressing necessity. Research has focused on genetic adaptation, while our understanding of non-genetic modes is still in its infancy. The host-associated microbiome can be considered a non-genetic mode of adaptation, which can strongly influence an organism's ability to cope with its environment. However, the role of the microbiome in host ecological dynamics is largely unexplored, particularly in animal communities. Here, we discuss the following hypothesis: invasive species may rapidly adapt to local conditions by adopting beneficial microbes from similar co-occurring native species. This occurs when the invader's fitness is influenced by adaptation to local conditions that is facilitated by microbes acquired from native microbiomes. We present a minimal mathematical model to explore this hypothesis and show that a delayed acquisition of native microbes may explain the occurrence of an invasion lag. Overall, our results contribute to broadening the conceptualization of rapid adaptation via microbiome transfer and offer insights towards designing early intervention strategies for invasive species management.

Potential to take root in viticulture? An evaluation of mycorrhizal inoculants on the growth and nutrient uptake of young wine grapes planted in live field soil

AIMS

Incorporating biofertilizers, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AM) fungal inoculants, into vineyard management practices may enhance vine growth and reduce environmental impact. Here, we evaluate the effects of commercially available and local AM fungal inoculants on the growth, root colonization, and nutrient uptake of wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) when planted in a field soil substrate.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a greenhouse experiment, young wine grapes were planted in a field soil substrate and inoculated with one of three commercially available mycorrhizal inoculant products, or one of two locally collected whole soil inoculants. After 4 months of growth, inoculated vines showed no differences in plant biomass, colonization of roots by AM fungi, or foliar macronutrient concentrations compared to uninoculated field soil substrate. However, vines grown with local inoculants had greater shoot biomass than vines grown with mycorrhizal inoculant products.

CONCLUSIONS

Although effects from inoculations with AM fungi varied by inoculant type and source, inoculations may not improve young vine performance in field soils with a resident microbial community.

Soil microbiome engineering for sustainability in a changing environment

Recent advances in microbial ecology and synthetic biology have the potential to mitigate damage caused by anthropogenic activities that are deleteriously impacting Earth's soil ecosystems. Here, we discuss challenges and opportunities for harnessing natural and synthetic soil microbial communities, focusing on plant growth promotion under different scenarios. We explore current needs for microbial solutions in soil ecosystems, how these solutions are being developed and applied, and the potential for new biotechnology breakthroughs to tailor and target microbial products for specific applications. We highlight several scientific and technological advances in soil microbiome engineering, including characterization of microbes that impact soil ecosystems, directing how microbes assemble to interact in soil environments, and the developing suite of gene-engineering approaches. This Review underscores the need for an interdisciplinary approach to understand the composition, dynamics and deployment of beneficial soil microbiomes to drive efforts to mitigate or reverse environmental damage by restoring and protecting healthy soil ecosystems.

Engineering plant microbiomes by integrating eco-evolutionary principles into current strategies

Engineering plant microbiomes has the potential to improve plant health in a rapid and sustainable way. Rapidly changing climates and relatively long timelines for plant breeding make microbiome engineering an appealing approach to improving food security. However, approaches that have shown promise in the lab have not resulted in wide-scale implementation in the field. Here, we suggest the use of an integrated approach, combining mechanistic molecular and genetic knowledge, with ecological and evolutionary theory, to target knowledge gaps in plant microbiome engineering that may facilitate translatability of approaches into the field. We highlight examples where understanding microbial community ecology is essential for a holistic understanding of the efficacy and consequences of microbiome engineering. We also review examples where understanding plant-microbe evolution could facilitate the design of plants able to recruit specific microbial communities. Finally, we discuss possible trade-offs in plant-microbiome interactions that should be considered during microbiome engineering efforts so as not to introduce off-target negative effects. We include classic and emergent approaches, ranging from microbial inoculants to plant breeding to host-driven microbiome engineering, and address areas that would benefit from multidisciplinary approaches.

AMF Inoculum Enhances Crop Yields of Zea mays L. 'Chenghai No. 618' and Glycine max L. 'Zhonghuang No. 17' without Disturbing Native Fugal Communities in Coal Mine Dump

For the agricultural development of dumps, increase in land use efficiency and protection of food security, to verify the safety, efficacy and sustainability of field-applied arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculum, and to exclude the risk of potential biological invasion, in this study, we determined the effect of AMF inoculation and intercropping patterns (maize-soybean) on the temporal dynamics of soil parameters, native AMF communities and crop yields. AMF communities were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq. A total of 448 AMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to six genera and nine families were identified. AMF inoculation treatment significantly improved the yield of intercropping maize and increased the content of available phosphorus. AMF diversity was significantly influenced by cropping pattern and growth stage, but not by the inoculation treatment. Inoculation altered the AMF community composition in the early growth stage and facilitated a more complex AMF network in the early and late growth stages. These results indicate that AMF inoculation affects native AMF only in the early stage, and its impact on yield may be the consequence of cumulative effects due to the advantages of plant growth and nutrient uptake in the early stage.

The Potential Applications of Commercial Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Inoculants and Their Ecological Consequences

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculants are sustainable biological materials that can provide several benefits to plants, especially in disturbed agroecosystems and in the context of phytomanagement interventions. However, it is difficult to predict the effectiveness of AMF inoculants and their impacts on indigenous AMF communities under field conditions. In this review, we examined the literature on the possible outcomes following the introduction of AMF-based inoculants in the field, including their establishment in soil and plant roots, persistence, and effects on the indigenous AMF community. Most studies indicate that introduced AMF can persist in the target field from a few months to several years but with declining abundance (60%) or complete exclusion (30%). Further analysis shows that AMF inoculation exerts both positive and negative impacts on native AMF species, including suppression (33%), stimulation (38%), exclusion (19%), and neutral impacts (10% of examined cases). The factors influencing the ecological fates of AMF inoculants, such as the inherent properties of the inoculum, dosage and frequency of inoculation, and soil physical and biological factors, are further discussed. While it is important to monitor the success and downstream impacts of commercial inoculants in the field, the sampling method and the molecular tools employed to resolve and quantify AMF taxa need to be improved and standardized to eliminate bias towards certain AMF strains and reduce discrepancies among studies. Lastly, inoculant producers must focus on selecting strains with a higher chance of success in the field, and having little or negligible downstream impacts.

Effects of Commercial Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculants on Plant Productivity and Intra-Radical Colonization in Native Grassland: Unintentional De-Coupling of a Symbiosis?

There has been a surge in industries built on the production of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal-based inoculants in the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the positive effects of AM fungi on plant growth and nutritional status. However, there is growing concern regarding the quality and efficacy of commercial inoculants. To assess the potential benefits and negative consequences of commercial AM fungal inoculants in grasslands, we conducted a controlled growth chamber study assessing the productivity and AM fungal root colonization of nine grassland plant species grown in grassland soil with or without one of six commercial AM fungal products. Our research showed no evidence of benefit; commercial inoculants never increased native plant biomass, although several inoculants decreased the growth of native species and increased the growth of invasive plant species. In addition, two commercial products contained excessive levels of phosphorus or nitrogen and consistently reduced AM fungal root colonization, indicating an unintentional de-coupling of the symbiosis. As there is little knowledge of the ecological consequences of inoculation with commercial AM fungal products, it is critical for restoration practitioners, scientists, and native plant growers to assess the presence of local AM fungal communities before investing in unnecessary, or possibly detrimental, AM fungal products.

Harnessing belowground processes for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems

Increasing food demand coupled with climate change pose a great challenge to agricultural systems. In this review we summarize recent advances in our knowledge of how plants, together with their associated microbiota, shape rhizosphere processes. We address (molecular) mechanisms operating at the plant-microbe-soil interface and aim to link this knowledge with actual and potential avenues for intensifying agricultural systems, while at the same time reducing irrigation water, fertilizer inputs and pesticide use. Combining in-depth knowledge about above and belowground plant traits will not only significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of involved processes but also allow for more informed decisions regarding agricultural practices and plant breeding. Including belowground plant-soil-microbe interactions in our breeding efforts will help to select crops resilient to abiotic and biotic environmental stresses and ultimately enable us to produce sufficient food in a more sustainable agriculture in the upcoming decades.

Does Commercial Inoculation Promote Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Invasion?

Interventions with commercial inoculants have the potential to reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture, but their indiscriminate deployment has raised questions on the unintended consequences of microbial invasion. In the absence of explicit empirical reports on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) invasion, we examine the present framework used to define AMF invasion and offer perspectives on the steps needed to avoid the negative impacts of AMF invasion. Although commercial AMF isolates are potential invaders, invasions do not always constitute negative impacts on native community diversity and functions. Instead, the fates of the invading and resident communities are determined by ecological processes such as selection, drift, dispersal, and speciation. Nevertheless, we recommend strategies that reduce overdependence on introduced inoculants, such as adoption management practices that promote the diversity and richness of indigenous AMF communities, and the development of native propagules as a supplement to commercial AMF in applicable areas. Policies and regulations that monitor inoculant value chains from production to application must be put in place to check inoculant quality and composition, as well as the transport of inoculants between geographically distant regions.