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Carbon and phosphorus exchange may enable cooperation between an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and a phosphate‐solubilizing bacterium
Author(s) -
Zhang Lin,
Xu Minggang,
Liu Yu,
Zhang Fusuo,
Hodge Angela,
Feng Gu
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.13838
Subject(s) - microcosm , phosphate , phosphorus , fungus , hypha , mineralization (soil science) , biology , arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi , botany , phosphate solubilizing bacteria , microorganism , horticulture , chemistry , bacteria , rhizosphere , inoculation , soil water , ecology , rhizobacteria , biochemistry , genetics , organic chemistry
Summary Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) transfer plant photosynthate underground which can stimulate soil microbial growth. In this study, we examined whether there was a potential link between carbon (C) release from an AMF and phosphorus (P) availability via a phosphate‐solubilizing bacterium ( PSB ). We investigated the outcome of the interaction between the AMF and the PSB by conducting a microcosm and two Petri plate experiments. An in vitro culture experiment was also conducted to determine the direct impact of AMF hyphal exudates on growth of the PSB . The AMF released substantial C to the environment, triggering PSB growth and activity. In return, the PSB enhanced mineralization of organic P, increasing P availability for the AMF . When soil available P was low, the PSB competed with the AMF for P, and its activity was not stimulated by the fungus. When additional P was added to increase soil available P, the PSB enhanced AMF hyphal growth, and PSB activity was also stimulated by the fungus. Our results suggest that an AMF and a free‐living PSB interacted to the benefit of each other by providing the C or P that the other microorganism required, but these interactions depended upon background P availability.