Mycorrhizal Water Flux
Rooting for Hyphae: Functional Persistence of AMF Water Transport to Plants during Soil Drying
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance plant tolerance to water stress by aiding in water acquisition. However, limited research explores their direct water transport to plant roots through hyphal networks, and little is known about how this functionality changes as soil moisture decreases. This study examines the impact of soil drying on the contribution of AMF-transported water to the transpiration of maize plants (Zea mays L.).
Maize seeds inoculated with R. irregularis spores were cultivated for eight weeks in two-compartment pots (4.5 L), partitioned by a 3.5-mm air gap and 31-μm nylon mesh to restrict root growth to a primary compartment while giving hyphae exclusive access to a secondary compartment. Pots were subjected to one of three soil moisture conditions: well-watered (28-31% vol), moderate drought (14-17%), or severe drought (8-11%). At 58 days old, ²H-labeled water was introduced exclusively to the hyphae-only compartment, enabling the tracing of AMF-transported water. Plant shoots were enclosed in bag chambers connected to a stable isotope analyzer to monitor ²H concentrations in transpired water continuously for four to five days.
Project Leader: Mohsen Zare
Team: Alora Kraus, Benjamin Hafner, Ruth Adamczewski, Daniel-Sebastian Moser
Duration: 2024