Journal Article

Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonising arable crops

Fitter, A. H., Young, J. P. W., Husband, R, Daniell, T. J.

2001

Overview

We used differences in small subunit ribosomal RNA genes to identify groups of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that are active in the colonisation of plant roots growing in arable fields around North Yorkshire, UK. Root samples were collected from four arable fields and four crop species, fungal sequences were amplified from individual plants by the polymerase chain reaction using primers NS31 and AM1. The products were cloned and 303 clones were classified by their restriction pattern with HinfI or RsaI; 72 were subsequently sequenced. Colonisation was dominated by Glomus species with a preponderance of only two sequence types, which are closely related. There is evidence for seasonal variation in colonisation in terms of both level of colonisation and sequence types present. Fungal diversity was much lower than that previously reported for a nearby woodland.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd,Blackwell,Oxford University Press
• Subject: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions / Arable crops (wheat, barley, spring pea and maize) / Arable land / Arbuscular mycorrhiza / Arbuscular mycorrhizas / Biological and medical sciences / clones / Colonization / crops / Ecology / Economic plant physiology / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Fungi / genes / Glomus / Low diversity / microbial colonization / Microbiology / mycorrhizal fungi / Parasitism and symbiosis / Plant physiology and development / Plant roots / Polymerase chain reaction / ribosomal RNA / roots / rRNA / seasonal variation / Seasonal variations / Small subunit ribosomal RNA sequence / Symbiosis / Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...) / United Kingdom / Woodlands