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Tolerance and biodegradation of m ‐toluate by Scots pine, a mycorrhizal fungus and fluorescent pseudomonads individually and under associative conditions
Author(s) -
Sarand I.,
Timonen S.,
Koivula T.,
Peltola R.,
Haahtela K.,
Sen R.,
Romantschuk M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00731.x
Subject(s) - pseudomonas fluorescens , biology , fungus , scots pine , botany , biodegradation , mycorrhiza , bacteria , seedling , hypha , symbiosis , pinus <genus> , ecology , genetics
The tolerance to, and degradation of m ‐toluate by Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ), a symbiotic mycorrhizal fungus ( Suillus bovinus ) and Pseudomonas fluorescens strains, with or without m ‐toluate‐degrading capacity, was determined individually and in all symbiotic/associative plant‐microbe combinations. Fungal survival on medium with m ‐toluate was increased in co‐culture with the degradative bacterial strains on agar plates (up to 0·02%, w/v). When fungi were grown in mycorrhizal association with Scots pine seedlings in test‐tube microcosms containing expanded clay pellets and growth media, the fungus was able to withstand m ‐toluate concentrations up to 2·0%, w/v in all treatments. The seedling tolerance remained unaltered regardless of the presence or absence of mycorrhizal fungi or biodegradative bacteria. Reduction in m ‐toluate levels was only detected in treatments inoculated with bacterial strains harbouring TOL catabolic plasmids. The plant and fungus, alone or in mycorrhizal symbiosis, were unable to cleave m ‐toluate. The presence of easily available plant‐derived carbon sources did not impede m ‐toluate degradation by the bacteria in the mycorrhizosphere.