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Astragalus, a group of legume plants, has a pronounced rhizosphere effect. Many species of Astragalus with limited resource reserves are distributed in the high-altitude area of northern Yunnan, China. Although some of these plants have high medicinal value, the recognition of them is still at a low level. The aim of this research is to explore the species diversity of cultivable rhizofungi derived from Astragalus acaulis, A. forrestii and A. ernestii growing in a special high–cold environment of northwest Yunnan and discover anti-infective components from these fungi. A total of 93 fungal strains belonging to 38 species in 18 genera were isolated and identified. Antibacterial and antimalarial screening yielded 10 target strains. Among them, the ethyl acetate crude extract of the fermented substrate of the rhizofungus Aspergillus calidoustus AA12 derived from the plant A. acaulis showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and the best antimalarial activity. Further chemical investigation led to the first discovery of seven compounds from the species A. calidoustus, including sesterterpine 6-epi-ophiobolin G; three sesquiterpenes, penicisochroman A, pergillin and 7-methyl-2-(1-methylethylethlidene)-furo [3,2-H]isoquinoline-3-one; and three polyketides, trypacidin, 1,2-seco-trypacidin and questin. Among them, the compound 6-epi-ophiobolin G exhibited moderate to strong antibacterial activity against six Gram-positive pathogens with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 25 to 6.25 μg/mL and a prominent inhibitory effect on the biofilm of Streptococcus agalactiae at an MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL. This compound also displayed potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum strains 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant Dd2 at the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 3.319 and 4.340 µmol/L at 72 h, respectively. This study contributed to our understanding of the cultivable rhizofungi from characteristic Astragalus plants in special high–cold environments and further increased the library of fungi available for natural anti-infectious product screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Rhizosphere and endophytic fungi play important roles in plant health and crop productivity. However, their community dynamics during the continuous cropping of Knoxia valerianoides have rarely been reported. K. valerianoides is a perennial herb of the family Rubiaceae and has been used in herbal medicines for ages. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing technology Illumina MiSeq to study the structural and functional dynamics of the rhizosphere and endophytic fungi of K. valerianoides. Results The findings indicate that continuous planting has led to an increase in the richness and diversity of rhizosphere fungi, while concomitantly resulting in a decrease in the richness and diversity of root fungi. The diversity of endophytic fungal communities in roots was lower than that of the rhizosphere fungi. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the dominant phyla detected during the continuous cropping of K. valerianoides. In addition, we found that root rot directly affected the structure and diversity of fungal communities in the rhizosphere and the roots of K. valerianoides. Consequently, both the rhizosphere and endophyte fungal communities of root rot-infected plants showed higher richness than the healthy plants. The relative abundance of Fusarium in two and three years old root rot-infected plants was significantly higher than the control, indicating that continuous planting negatively affected the health of K. valerianoides plants. Decision Curve Analysis showed that soil pH, organic matter (OM), available K, total K, soil sucrase (S_SC), soil catalase (S_CAT), and soil cellulase (S_CL) were significantly related (p

Background: Rhizosphere and endophytic fungi play important roles in plant health and crop productivity. However, their community dynamics during the continuous cropping of Knoxia valerianoides have rarely been reported. K. valerianoides is a perennial herb of the family Rubiaceae and has been used in herbal medicines for ages. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing technology Illumina MiSeq to study the structural and functional dynamics of the rhizosphere and endophytic fungi of K. valerianoides. Results: The findings indicate that continuous planting has led to an increase in the richness and diversity of rhizosphere fungi, while concomitantly resulting in a decrease in the richness and diversity of root fungi. The diversity of endophytic fungal communities in roots was lower than that of the rhizosphere fungi. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the dominant phyla detected during the continuous cropping of K. valerianoides. In addition, we found that root rot directly affected the structure and diversity of fungal communities in the rhizosphere and the roots of K. valerianoides. Consequently, both the rhizosphere and endophyte fungal communities of root rot-infected plants showed higher richness than the healthy plants. The relative abundance of Fusarium in two and three years old root rot-infected plants was significantly higher than the control, indicating that continuous planting negatively affected the health of K. valerianoides plants. Decision Curve Analysis showed that soil pH, organic matter (OM), available K, total K, soil sucrase (S_SC), soil catalase (S_CAT), and soil cellulase (S_CL) were significantly related (p < 0.05) to the fungal community dynamics. Conclusions: The diversity of fungal species in the rhizosphere and root of K. valerianoides was reported for the first time. The fungal diversity of rhizosphere soil was higher than that of root endophytic fungi. The fungal diversity of root rot plants was higher than that of healthy plants. Soil pH, OM, available K, total K, S_CAT, S_SC, and S_CL were significantly related to the fungal diversity. The occurrence of root rot had an effect on the community structure and diversity of rhizosphere and root endophytic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining activities in the kaolin mining area have led to the disruption of the ecological health of the mining area and nearby soils, but the effects on the fungal communities in the rhizosphere soils of the plants are not clear. Three common plants (Conyza bonariensis, Artemisia annua, and Dodonaea viscosa) in kaolin mining areas were selected and analyzed their rhizosphere soil fungal communities using ITS sequencing. The alpha diversity indices (Chao1, Shannon, Simpson, observed-species, pielou-e) of the fungal communities decreased to different extents in different plants compared to the non-kauri mining area. The β-diversity (PCoA, NMDS) analysis showed that the rhizosphere soil fungal communities of the three plants in the kaolin mine area were significantly differentiated from those of the control plants grown in the non-kaolin mine area, and the extent of this differentiation varied among the plants. The analysis of fungal community composition showed that the dominant fungi in the rhizosphere fungi of C. bonariensis and A. annua changed, with an increase in the proportion of Mycosphaerella (genus) by about 20% in C. bonariensis and A. annua. An increase in the proportion of Didymella (genus) by 40% in D. viscosa was observed. At the same time, three plant rhizosphere soils were affected by kaolin mining activities with the appearance of new fungal genera Ochrocladosporium and Plenodomus. Predictive functional potential analysis of the samples revealed that a significant decrease in the potential of functions such as biosynthesis and glycolysis occurred in the rhizosphere fungal communities of kaolin-mined plants compared to non-kaolin-mined areas. The results show that heavy metals and plant species are the key factors influencing these changes, which suggests that selecting plants that can bring more abundant fungi can adapt to heavy metal contamination to restore soil ecology in the kaolin mining area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asarum is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, and its dried roots are commonly used as medicinal materials. Research into the traits of the bacteria and fungus in the Asarum rhizosphere and how they relate to the potency of medicinal plants is important. During four cropping years and collecting months, we used ITS rRNA gene amplicon and sequencing to assess the population, diversity, and predominant kinds of bacteria and fungus in the rhizosphere of Asarum. HPLC was used to determine the three bioactive ingredients, namely asarinin, aristolochic acid I, and volatile oil. The mainly secondary metabolites of Asarum, relationships between microbial communities, soil physicochemical parameters, and possible influences on microbial communities owing to various cropping years and collecting months were all statistically examined. The cropping years and collecting months affected the abundance and diversity of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi, but the cropping year had a significant impact on the structures and compositions of the bacterial communities. The rhizosphere microorganisms were influenced by both the soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities. Additionally, this study revealed that Trichoderma was positively correlated with the three bioactive ingredients of Asarum, while Tausonia showed entirely opposite results. Gibberella and Leptosphaeria demonstrated a significantly negative correlation with asarinin and violate oil, but they were weakly correlated with the aristolochic acid I content. This study revealed variations in the Asarum rhizosphere microorganism population, diversity, and dominant types across four cropping years and collecting months. The relationship between Asarum secondary metabolites, the soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and rhizosphere microorganisms was discussed. Our results will guide the exploration of the soil characteristics and rhizosphere microorganisms' structures by regulating the microbial community to enhance Asarum quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus, a group of legume plants, has a pronounced rhizosphere effect. Many species of Astragalus with limited resource reserves are distributed in the high-altitude area of northern Yunnan, China. Although some of these plants have high medicinal value, the recognition of them is still at a low level. The aim of this research is to explore the species diversity of cultivable rhizofungi derived from Astragalus acaulis, A. forrestii and A. ernestii growing in a special high–cold environment of northwest Yunnan and discover anti-infective components from these fungi. A total of 93 fungal strains belonging to 38 species in 18 genera were isolated and identified. Antibacterial and antimalarial screening yielded 10 target strains. Among them, the ethyl acetate crude extract of the fermented substrate of the rhizofungus Aspergillus calidoustus AA12 derived from the plant A. acaulis showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and the best antimalarial activity. Further chemical investigation led to the first discovery of seven compounds from the species A. calidoustus, including sesterterpine 6-epi-ophiobolin G; three sesquiterpenes, penicisochroman A, pergillin and 7-methyl-2-(1-methylethylethlidene)-furo [3,2-H]isoquinoline-3-one; and three polyketides, trypacidin, 1,2-seco-trypacidin and questin. Among them, the compound 6-epi-ophiobolin G exhibited moderate to strong antibacterial activity against six Gram-positive pathogens with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 25 to 6.25 μg/mL and a prominent inhibitory effect on the biofilm of Streptococcus agalactiae at an MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL. This compound also displayed potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum strains 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant Dd2 at the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 3.319 and 4.340 µmol/L at 72 h, respectively. This study contributed to our understanding of the cultivable rhizofungi from characteristic Astragalus plants in special high–cold environments and further increased the library of fungi available for natural anti-infectious product screening.

Aims: Roots are key parts of plant material circulation and energy flow, creating two distinct niches for the plant microbiome, such as the rhizosphere and root endosphere, which interact to maintain plant growth and health. In this study, two niches of plant rhizosphere and root endosphere were selected to study the composition and differences of fungi communities in order to better understand how differences in the structure and function of plant fungi communities affect plant health. Methods and results: The community structure, diversity, and ecological function of fungi in the rhizosphere and root endosphere of Cinnamomum migao were studied using high-throughput sequencing techniques, traditional culture methods, and the FUNGuild database. The results of the analysis of alpha diversity showed that the diversity of rhizosphere fungal communities in C. migao was much higher than that of root endosphere communities. Some similarities and differences were noted between the two niche fungal communities, and some fungi had niche preferences. Functional prediction results demonstrated that fungi in the rhizosphere and root endosphere adopt multiple trophic modes, mostly saprophytic fungi. Conclusions: This study provided a basis for an in-depth understanding of the structural variation, niche differentiation, and function of plant root-related fungal microbiota. We believe that it could provide guidance on the subsequent development of beneficial fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The change of rhizosphere fungal community structure and diversity of Lilium lancifolium after infection with root rot were revealed, which was expected to provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the microecological pathogenesis and the screening and application of biocontrol fungi for root rot. [ Method] The ITSl region of fungal rRNA gene in rhizosphere soil was amplified and then sequenced by Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology. The sequencing results were used to analyze the fungal structure and diversity. [Result] The alpha-diversity analysis showed that there was no significant difference in richness, evenness and diversity in rhizosphere soil of healthy and root rot plant. The PCA analysis showed that the fungal structure of L. lancifolium with root rot disease was different from that of healthy plant. The dominant phyla in rhizosphere soil of healthy L. lancifolium and root rot L. lancifolium was Ascomycota. Compared with healthy L. lancifolium plants, the relative abundance of Eurotiomycetes, Tremellomycetes, Chaetothyriales, Tremellales, Herpotrichiellaceae, Nectriaceae and Exophiala were significantly higher. According to the LEfSe analysis, Ascomycota and llyonectria showed the greatest difference in the rhizosphere soil of diseased and healthy plant, respectively. And 14 types of flora including Arcopilus, Ceratobasidium, Ascobolus, Paraphaeosphaeria and so on were biomarkers in rhizosphere soil of healthy L. lancifolium. [Conclusion] There was significant difference in fungi community composition of rhizosphere soil from healthy and root rot L. lancifolium in the continuous cropping plots for many years. Occurrence of L. lancifolium root rot was closed to the variation of fungi community structure in rhizosphere soil, especially proliferation of harmful fungi such as Eurotiomycetes and Exophiala. There was a large number of potential probiotics in the rhizosphere soil of L. lancifolium, which would be a potential resource for further screening of biocontrol microbe against root rot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi have essential functions in plant health and performance. However, the plant‐associated functions of many cultured fungi have not been established in detail.Here, the fungal species diversity in Salvia miltiorrhiza roots and rhizosphere was assessed for the first time using culturomics and high‐throughput sequencing. We present a comprehensive functional metagenomic analysis of these fungi and verified activity of cellulase and chitinase predicted in the metagenomic analysis.We first collected and cultured fungi from the root and rhizosphere of S. miltiorrhiza. We found 92 species across 37 families and five phyla, with Ascomycota being dominant. Many rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequences could not be assigned to lower taxonomic levels. There were 19 genera of endophytic fungi and 37 genera of rhizosphere fungi. The culturomics approach had lower taxonomic diversity than high‐throughput sequencing, but some fungi were only found in cultures. Structural analyses indicated that the dominant species differed in cultured and non‐cultured samples at other levels, apart from the phylum level. Functional analysis mapped 223 carbohydrate enzyme families and 393 pathways in the CAZy and KEGG databases, respectively. The most abundant families were glycoside hydrolases and those involved in carbohydrate metabolism. As predicted by metagenomics, we experimentally verified cellulase and chitinase activity for 29 and 74 fungi, respectively.We provide the first evidence of biomass recycling by fungi that are associated with plants. Culturing is essential to reveal the hidden microbial community and critical functions in plant–microbe interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) is an important pseudocereal crop with excellent edible, nutritional and medicinal values. However, the yield of Tartary buckwheat (TB) is very low due to old-fashioned cultivation techniques, particularly unreasonable application of nitrogen fertilizer. To improve the understanding on the theories of nitrogen use in TB, the effects of nitrogen application on growth, as well as chemical properties and microbial community of rhizosphere soil were investigated in this study. Nitrogen application could promote the plant height, stem diameter, nitrogen accumulation and yield of TB. The relative abundance and diversity of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere soil of TB were improved by nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen application increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lysobacter and Sphingomonas in rhizosphere soil, and decreased the abundance of pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium and Plectosphaerella. The results indicated that nitrogen application changed the distribution of microbial communities in TB rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, the specific enriched or depleted microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil of four TB varieties were analyzed at OTU level. 87 specific nitrogen-responsive genes with sequence variation were identified in four varieties by integrating genomic re-sequencing and transcriptome analysis, and these genes may involve in the recruitment of specific rhizosphere microorganisms in different TB varieties. This study provided new insights into the effects of nitrogen application on TB growth and rhizosphere microbial community, and improved the understanding on the mechanisms of TB root-microbe interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining activities in the kaolin mining area have led to the disruption of the ecological health of the mining area and nearby soils, but the effects on the fungal communities in the rhizosphere soils of the plants are not clear. Three common plants (Conyza bonariensis, Artemisia annua, and Dodonaea viscosa) in kaolin mining areas were selected and analyzed their rhizosphere soil fungal communities using ITS sequencing. The alpha diversity indices (Chao1, Shannon, Simpson, observed-species, pielou-e) of the fungal communities decreased to different extents in different plants compared to the non-kauri mining area. The β-diversity (PCoA, NMDS) analysis showed that the rhizosphere soil fungal communities of the three plants in the kaolin mine area were significantly differentiated from those of the control plants grown in the non-kaolin mine area, and the extent of this differentiation varied among the plants. The analysis of fungal community composition showed that the dominant fungi in the rhizosphere fungi of C. bonariensis and A. annua changed, with an increase in the proportion of Mycosphaerella (genus) by about 20% in C. bonariensis and A. annua. An increase in the proportion of Didymella (genus) by 40% in D. viscosa was observed. At the same time, three plant rhizosphere soils were affected by kaolin mining activities with the appearance of new fungal genera Ochrocladosporium and Plenodomus. Predictive functional potential analysis of the samples revealed that a significant decrease in the potential of functions such as biosynthesis and glycolysis occurred in the rhizosphere fungal communities of kaolin-mined plants compared to non-kaolin-mined areas. The results show that heavy metals and plant species are the key factors influencing these changes, which suggests that selecting plants that can bring more abundant fungi can adapt to heavy metal contamination to restore soil ecology in the kaolin mining area.

Asarum is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, and its dried roots are commonly used as medicinal materials. Research into the traits of the bacteria and fungus in the Asarum rhizosphere and how they relate to the potency of medicinal plants is important. During four cropping years and collecting months, we used ITS rRNA gene amplicon and sequencing to assess the population, diversity, and predominant kinds of bacteria and fungus in the rhizosphere of Asarum. HPLC was used to determine the three bioactive ingredients, namely asarinin, aristolochic acid I, and volatile oil. The mainly secondary metabolites of Asarum, relationships between microbial communities, soil physicochemical parameters, and possible influences on microbial communities owing to various cropping years and collecting months were all statistically examined. The cropping years and collecting months affected the abundance and diversity of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi, but the cropping year had a significant impact on the structures and compositions of the bacterial communities. The rhizosphere microorganisms were influenced by both the soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities. Additionally, this study revealed that Trichoderma was positively correlated with the three bioactive ingredients of Asarum, while Tausonia showed entirely opposite results. Gibberella and Leptosphaeria demonstrated a significantly negative correlation with asarinin and violate oil, but they were weakly correlated with the aristolochic acid I content. This study revealed variations in the Asarum rhizosphere microorganism population, diversity, and dominant types across four cropping years and collecting months. The relationship between Asarum secondary metabolites, the soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and rhizosphere microorganisms was discussed. Our results will guide the exploration of the soil characteristics and rhizosphere microorganisms’ structures by regulating the microbial community to enhance Asarum quality.

Aims: Gentiana scabra Bunge (gentian) is one of the best-known traditional Chinese medicinal plants and its dry roots and rhizomes are usually used as medicine. To our knowledge, the main active metabolites of gentian, such as gentian polysaccharide and gentiopicroside, determine the quality and pharmaceutical effect of gentian. The root-derived fungi including endophytic fungi and rhizosphere fungi are key factors which affect the secondary metabolism and the utilization of soil nutrients of gentian. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the characteristics and dynamics of root-derived fungi related to gentian, as well as their relationships with the quality of gentian. Methods: The population, diversity, and the dominant type of endophytic and rhizosphere fungi in gentian were determined by using ITS rRNA gene amplicon and sequencing methods. The potential influences of different habitats on fungi communities and the correlation between fungi communities, the main active metabolites of gentian and soil physicochemical properties were analyzed by statistical methods. Results: The population and diversity of endophytic and rhizosphere fungi varied with both habitats and growth stages, showing a significant difference. Among them, the predominant genera of endophytic fungi were Lecidella, Leptoshaeria and unclassified_p_Ascomycota with the relative abundance of 35.1%, 9.0% and 7.3%, respectively, while the predominant genera of rhizosphere fungi were complicated. Compared to endophytic fungi, the diversity of rhizosphere fungi was obviously affected by soil physicochemical properties, including pH, water content, alkali hydrolysis nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), etc. Additionally, we found that the accumulation of gentiopicroside was positively correlated with endophytic fungi of Epicoccum and rhizosphere fungi of Mortierella, Solicoccozyma, Talaromyces and Trichoderma. The accumulation of gentian polysaccharide was negatively correlated with endophytic fungi of Lenzites, Mucor, Myrothecium and Saccharomycopsis and rhizosphere fungi, such as Botrytis, Cadophora, Cladophora, Didymela, Fusarium, etc. Conclusions: In this work, the differences on population, diversity, and the dominant type of endophytic fungi and rhizosphere fungi in gentian were revealed. The relationship between the main active metabolites of gentian and root-derived fungi, and the relationship between soil physicochemical properties and root-derived fungi were clarified, respectively. It is believed that our work will guide to explore strategies on improving the quality of gentian by regulating soil factors and root-derived microbial community structure with microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the normal variation of the sugarcane rhizosphere fungal community throughout its life cycle is essential for the development of agricultural practices for fungal and ecological health associated with the microbiota. Therefore, we performed high-throughput sequencing of 18S rDNA of soil samples using the Illumina sequencing platform for correlation analysis of rhizosphere fungal community time series, covering information from 84 samples in four growth periods. The results revealed that the sugarcane rhizosphere fungi possessed the maximum fungal richness in Tillering. Rhizosphere fungi were closely associated with sugarcane growth, including Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Chytridiomycota, which showed high abundance in a stage-specific manner. Through the Manhattan plots, 10 fungal genera showed a decreasing trend throughout the sugarcane growth, and two fungal genera were significantly enriched at three stages of sugarcane growth (p < 0.05) including Pseudallescheria (Microascales, Microascaceae) and Nectriaceae (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae). In addition, soil pH, soil temperature, total nitrogen, and total potassium were critical drivers of fungal community structure at different stages of sugarcane growth. We also found that sugarcane disease status showed a significant and strong negative effect on selected soil properties by using structural equation modeling (SEM), suggesting that poor soil increases the likelihood of sugarcane disease. In addition, the assembly of sugarcane rhizosphere fungal community structure was mainly influenced by stochastic factors, but after the sugarcane root system became stable (Maturity), the stochastic contribution rate decreased to the lowest value. Our work provides a more extensive and solid basis for the biological control of sugarcane potential fungal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizosphere microorganisms are the main factors affecting the formation of high quality medicinal materials and promoting the accumulation of secondary metabolites. However, the composition, diversity, and function of rhizosphere microbial communities in endangered wild and cultivated Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (RAM) and their relationships with active component accumulation have remained unclear. In this study, high-throughput sequencing and correlation analysis were used to study the rhizosphere microbial community diversity (bacteria and fungi) of three RAM species and its correlation with the accumulation of polysaccharides, atractylone, and lactones (I, II, and III). A total of 24 phyla, 46 classes, and 110 genera were detected. The dominant taxa were Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. The microbial communities in both wild and artificially cultivated soil samples were extremely species-rich, but there were some differences in their structure and the relative abundances of microorganism taxa. Meanwhile, the contents of effective components in wild RAM were significantly higher than those in cultivated RAM. Correlation analysis showed that 16 bacterial and 10 fungal genera were positively or negatively correlated with active ingredient accumulation. These results showed that rhizosphere microorganisms could play an important role in component accumulation and might lay a foundation for future research on endangered materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aimed to investigate and quantify the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) found in the soil adjacent to the roots of Vellozia ramosissima and Eremanthus incanus in two ferruginous campo rupestre environments (FCR) and two quartzitic campo rupestre environments (QCR) of Serra do Espinhaço, Brazil. Spore density of AMF in the soil, quantity of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), and degree of root colonization by AMF were analyzed. Eremanthus incanus exhibited 24 species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in its rhizosphere, with four being exclusive to quartzitic rupestrian fields (QCR) and six to ferruginous rupestrian fields (FCR). Vellozia ramosissima had 20 AMF, with five exclusive to QCR and one to FCR. The high richness of AMF associated with the rhizosphere of the two studied species may be the determining factor for the successful establishment of these plants in environments under adverse edaphoclimatic conditions and low productivity. The genera Acaulospora, Glomus, and Scutellospora were distributed among all the studied areas and had the greatest species richness. Species richness of AMF tended to be higher in environments with higher floristic richness, although these areas had lower spore density. There was a greater quantity of GRSP in the ferruginous environments while root colonization by AMF was higher for E. incanus than V. ramosissima. Principal component analysis of chemical attributes of the soil revealed two groups influenced by lithology (ferruginous vs. quartzitic). Indicator species analysis revealed the prevalence of five indicator species in the studied environments; two of the species were specific to QCR1, one to FCR1, and two to FCR2. Contrary to expectations, sites with lower species richness of AMF had higher values for the Shannon diversity index (H′), because the sampled spores in these environments were distributed more uniformly among the registered AMF species. [Display omitted] • Higher levels of glomalin in the soil for FCR and rhizosphere of E. incanus ; • Low AMF similarity between the rhizosphere of E. incanus and V. ramosissima ; • Greater richness of AMF in the rhizosphere of E. incanus ; • E. incanus greater number of species exclusive to FCR; • V. we have a very large number of species exclusive to QCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】 The dynamic changes of the fungal community composition in the rhizosphere soil at different development stages of Cinnamomum migao fruit are explored, which provides reference for the utilization of beneficial fungus in the rhizosphere soil of C. migao and the control of harmful microbes. 【Method】 Based on the method of combining morphology and molecular phylogeny analysis, the cultivable rhizosphere fungus of C. migao were isolated and identified. 【Result】 A total of 529 fungi were obtained, which were initially identified as 111 species in 57 genera, 35 families, 3 phyla. At the phylum level, the dominant fungi was Ascomycota; At the family level, the dominant fungi were Hypocreaceae and Phytobacteria; At the genus level, the dominant fungi were Trichoderma and Penicillium. There were some differences in the composition of fungal communities at the three stages. Among them, The fungi isolated and identified at the young fruit stage belonged to 31 genera and 53 species, the dominant genus was Nectria（11.90%）; The fungi isolated and identified at the swelling stage were 36 genera and 64 species, the dominant genus were Trichoderma（16.99%） and Penicillium（16.34%）; The fungi isolated and identified at maturity stage were 16 genera and 31 species, and the dominant genus was Trichoderma（41.90%）. The Shannon diversity index, Simpson index, Margalef index and Pielou index of the rhizosphere cultivable fungal community all showed as the swelling stage﹥ young fruit stage﹥ maturity stage. 【Conclusion】 The rhizosphere soil of C. migao had a rich diversity of cultivable fungi, and it at maturity stage was significantly lower than at the swelling stage and the young fruit stage. The pathogenic fungus Fusarium also had the same changing trend. It was speculated that because the pathogenic antagonist Trichoderma proliferates in large numbers during the fruit ripening stage, the further reproduction of Fusarium was inhibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Karst rocky desertification (KRD) influences soil properties and plant species. Soil microbes are important factors in maintaining ecosystem stability. However, little is known about the role of fungi in adaptation of plants to KRD. Methods: Fungi colonized in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and roots of Themeda japonica at strong and slight KRD were analyzed by ITS2 amplicon sequencing. The relationship between soil nutrients and fungal diversity was estimated by redundancy analysis (RDA) and Spearman analysis. Results: AN, NN, SOC, TN, TP content and pH in strong KRD soil were higher than those with slight KRD. Rhizosphere with slight KRD had higher fungal richness and diversity than it with strong KRD, but there was no difference in root endophyte between KRD grades. The bulk soil with slight KRD had higher fungal richness compare to strong KRD. The fungal communities in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root between plants at different KRD grades were significantly different. In addition, the fungal communities of rhizosphere were sensitive to the change of KRD environment. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant phyla in bulk soil, rhizosphere and root endophyte at strong and slight KRD. SOC, AN and pH influenced the composition of fungal communities at strong KRD. In contrast, TN and AN had a negative impact on richness. Conclusion: Our results suggest that fungal communities of rhizosphere may play a role in adaptation of T. japonica to KRD and may contribute to promote plant growth and ecological performance in karst areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Populus euphratica is one of the most ancient and primitive tree species of Populus spp and plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance in desert areas. To decipher the diversity, community structure, and relationship between rhizosphere fungi and environmental factors at different growth stages of P. euphratica demands an in-depth investigation. Methods. In this study, P. euphratica at different growth stages (young, medium, overripe, and decline periods) was selected as the research object, based on the determination of the physicochemical properties of its rhizosphere soil, the fungal community structure and diversity of P. euphratica and their correlation with soil physicochemical properties were comprehensively analyzed through high-throughput sequencing technology (internal transcribed spacer (ITS)) and bioinformatics analysis methods. Results. According to the analysis of OTU annotation results, the rhizosphere soil fungal communities identified in Populus euphratica were categorized into10 phyla, 36 classes, 77 orders, 165 families, 275 genera and 353 species. The alpha diversity analysis showed that there was no obvious change between the different growth stages, while beta diversity analysis showed that there were significantly differences in the composition of rhizosphere soil fungal communities between mature and overripe trees (R² = 0.31, P D 0.001), mature and deadwood (R² = 0.28, P D 0.001). Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant phyla in the rhizosphere fungal community and the dominant genera were Geopora, Chondrostereum and unidentified_Sordariales_sp. The relative abundance of the top ten fungi at each classification level differed greatly in different stages. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and Spearman's correlation analysis showed that conductivity (EC) was the main soil factor affecting the composition of Populus euphratica rhizosphere soil fungal community (P < 0.01), followed by total dissolvable salts (TDS) and available potassium (AK) (P < 0.05). Conclusions. Our data revealed that the rhizosphere fungal communities at the different growth stages of P. euphratica have differences, conductivity (EC) was the key factor driving rhizosphere fungi diversity and community structure, followed by total dissolvable salts (TDS) and available potassium (AK). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study examined how rhizosphere fungi influence the accumulation of chemical components in fruits of a small population species of Cinnamomum migao. Results Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant in the rhizosphere fungal community of C. migao. Pestalotiopsis and Gibellulopsis were associated with α-Terpineol and sabinene content, and Gibellulopsis was associated with crude fat and carbohydrate content. There were significant differences in rhizosphere fungal populations between watersheds, and there was no obvious change between fruiting periods. Gibberella, Ilyonectria, Micropsalliota, and Geminibasidium promoted sabinene accumulation, and Clitocybula promoted α-Terpineol accumulation. Conclusion The climate-related differentiation of rhizosphere fungal communities in watershed areas is the main driver of the chemical composition of C. migao fruit. The control of the production of biologically active compounds by the rhizosphere fungal community provides new opportunities to increase the industrial and medicinal value of the fruit of C. migao.

ABSTRACT It is widely recognized that plant-symbiotic fungi are supported by photosynthates; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the utilization of plant-derived sugars by rhizospheric fungi. In the insect-pathogenic and plant-symbiotic fungus Metarhizium robertsii, we previously showed that the utilization of oligosaccharides by the transporter MRT (Metarhizium raffinose transporter) is important for rhizosphere competency. In this study, we identified a novel monosaccharide transporter (MST1) that is involved in the colonization of the rhizoplane and acts additively with MRT to colonize the rhizosphere. MST1 is not involved in infection of insects by M. robertsii. MST1 is an H+ symporter and is able to transport a broad spectrum of monosaccharides, including glucose, sorbose, mannose, rhamnose, and fructose. Deletion of the Mst1 gene impaired germination and mycelial growth in medium containing the sugars that it can transport. Homologs of MST1 were widely found in many fungi, including plant symbionts such as Trichoderma spp. and mycorrhizal fungi and plant pathogens such as Fusarium spp. This work significantly advances insights into the development of symbiotic relationships between plants and fungi. IMPORTANCE Over 90% of all vascular plant species develop an intimate symbiosis with fungi, which has an enormous impact on terrestrial ecosystems. It is widely recognized that plant-symbiotic fungi are supported by photosynthates, but little is known about the mechanisms for fungi to utilize plant-derived carbon sources. In the fungus Metarhizium robertsii, we identified a novel monosaccharide transporter (MST1) that is an H+ symporter and can transport a broad spectrum of monosaccharides, including glucose, sorbose, mannose, rhamnose, and fructose. MST1 is involved in the colonization of the rhizoplane and acts additively with the previously characterized oligosaccharide transporter MRT to colonize the rhizosphere. Homologs of MST1 were found in many fungi, including plant symbionts and plant pathogens, suggesting that the utilization of plant-derived sugars by MST1 homologs could also be important for other fungi to develop a symbiotic or parasitic relationship with their respective plant hosts.

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Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient. Low availability of P in soil is mainly caused by high content of Fe2O3 in the clay fraction that binds to P making it unavailable. Beneficial microbes, such as P solubilizing microorganisms can increase the available P in soil and improve plant growth and productivity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of environmental conditions (climate, soil parameters), plant genotype, and level of plant association (rhizosphere or endophytic root organism) on the abundance and diversity of phosphorus solubilizing microorganisms in a Salix production system. We hypothesized that a lower number of endophytic fungi may possess the ability to solubilize P compared to the number of rhizosphere fungi with the same ability. We also expect that the plant genotype and the experimental site with its environmental conditions will influence fungal diversity. Two Salix genotypes grown in pure and mixed cultures were investigated for their fungal microbiome community and diversity in the rhizosphere and endosphere during two growing seasons. We found that the rhizosphere fungal community was more diverse. A general dominance of Ascomycota (Dothideomycetes) and Basidiomycota (Tremellomycetes) was observed. The classes Agaricomycetes and Pezizomycetes were more frequent in the endosphere, while Tremellomycetes and Mortierellomycetes were more abundant in the rhizosphere. Plot-specific soil properties (pH, total organic carbon, and nitrogen) significantly influenced the fungal community structure. Among the culturable fungal diversities, 10 strains of phosphate solubilizing fungi (PSFs) from roots and 12 strains from rhizosphere soil were identified using selective media supplemented with di-calcium and tri-calcium phosphates. The fungal density and the number of PSF were much higher in the rhizosphere than in the endosphere. Penicillium was the dominant genus of PSF isolated from both sites; other less frequent genera of PSFs were Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Clonostachys. Overall the main factors controlling the fungal communities (endophytic vs. rhizosphere fungi) were the soil properties and level of plant association, while no significant influence of growing season was observed. Differences between Salix genotypes were observed for culturable fungal diversity, while in metagenomic data analysis, only the class Dothideomycetes showed a significant effect from the plant genotype.

Background: This study examined how rhizosphere fungi influence the accumulation of chemical components in fruits of a small population species of Cinnamomum migao. Results: Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were dominant in the rhizosphere fungal community of C. migao. Pestalotiopsis and Gibellulopsis were associated with α-Terpineol and sabinene content, and Gibellulopsis was associated with crude fat and carbohydrate content. There were significant differences in rhizosphere fungal populations between watersheds, and there was no obvious change between fruiting periods. Gibberella, Ilyonectria, Micropsalliota, and Geminibasidium promoted sabinene accumulation, and Clitocybula promoted α-Terpineol accumulation. Conclusion: The climate-related differentiation of rhizosphere fungal communities in watershed areas is the main driver of the chemical composition of C. migao fruit. The control of the production of biologically active compounds by the rhizosphere fungal community provides new opportunities to increase the industrial and medicinal value of the fruit of C. migao. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient. Low availability of P in soil is mainly caused by high content of Fe2O3 in the clay fraction that binds to P making it unavailable. Beneficial microbes, such as P solubilizing microorganisms can increase the available P in soil and improve plant growth and productivity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of environmental conditions (climate, soil parameters), plant genotype, and level of plant association (rhizosphere or endophytic root organism) on the abundance and diversity of phosphorus solubilizing microorganisms in a Salix production system. We hypothesized that a lower number of endophytic fungi may possess the ability to solubilize P compared to the number of rhizosphere fungi with the same ability. We also expect that the plant genotype and the experimental site with its environmental conditions will influence fungal diversity. Two Salix genotypes grown in pure and mixed cultures were investigated for their fungal microbiome community and diversity in the rhizosphere and endosphere during two growing seasons. We found that the rhizosphere fungal community was more diverse. A general dominance of Ascomycota (Dothideomycetes) and Basidiomycota (Tremellomycetes) was observed. The classes Agaricomycetes and Pezizomycetes were more frequent in the endosphere, while Tremellomycetes and Mortierellomycetes were more abundant in the rhizosphere. Plot-specific soil properties (pH, total organic carbon, and nitrogen) significantly influenced the fungal community structure. Among the culturable fungal diversities, 10 strains of phosphate solubilizing fungi (PSFs) from roots and 12 strains from rhizosphere soil were identified using selective media supplemented with di-calcium and tri-calcium phosphates. The fungal density and the number of PSF were much higher in the rhizosphere than in the endosphere. Penicillium was the dominant genus of PSF isolated from both sites; other less frequent genera of PSFs were Alternaria, Cladosporium , and Clonostachys. Overall the main factors controlling the fungal communities (endophytic vs. rhizosphere fungi) were the soil properties and level of plant association, while no significant influence of growing season was observed. Differences between Salix genotypes were observed for culturable fungal diversity, while in metagenomic data analysis, only the class Dothideomycetes showed a significant effect from the plant genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the fungal diversity and its temporal and spatial dynamics in the rhizosphere soil of healthy cotton by high-throughput sequencing. We studied species richness, composition, and distribution of cotton rhizosphere fungal community with respect to location (Alaer, Kuerle, Tumushuke, Hami, Shihezi, Wusu, and Jinghe) and plant growth period (seedling stage, bud stage, flowering stage, and boll-opening stage) using the methods of PCR-based high-throughput sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR. A total of 1,838,454 fungal nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region sequences (rRNA ITS) were obtained from all cotton plants sampled at different growth stages in the seven locations in Xinjiang. The most abundant fungal group in the cotton rhizosphere was the Ascomycota (78.72%), followed by the Zygomycota (9.56%) and Basidiomycota (2.77%). These sequences revealed an enormous number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in cotton (1802 unique OTUs), with 67–464 OTUs in a single cotton sample, at a 3% threshold and a sequencing depth of 30,000 sequences. We identified 33 classes and 389 genera from the resulting 1,800,714 sequences. Sordariomycetes was the most frequent class in all samples, followed by Leotiomycetes and Eurotiomycetes. There were some differences in OTUs among different growth stages, but the differences were not significant, with 382 OTUs (14.66%) being common to each of the stages. A marked difference in the diversity of fungi in the rhizosphere soil of cotton was evident among the different locations, with the highest number of OTUs being detected in Jinghe (1084 OTUs) and clusters of OTUs representative of northern and eastern Xinjiang being detected. There were significantly more tags of Mortierella in Jinghe and Wusu than in the other sampling sites. The dynamics of the rhizosphere fungal communities were influenced by sampling sites. To the best of our knowledge, the current study is the first application of PCR-based Illumina to characterize and compare the fungal biodiversity in multiple rhizosphere soil samples from cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The soil-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Phoenix dactylifera (Date palm tree) and cultured on the large scale solid rice medium yielded a novel compound 1-(4-hydroxy-2,6-dimethoxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-2-methyl-1-butanone (1) and four known compounds; citricin (2), dihydrocitrinone (3), 2, 3, 4-trimethyl-5, 7-dihydroxy-2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran (4) and oricinol (5). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by MS, 1H, 13C and 2D NMR spectra. Compound (1) exhibited potent antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 2.3 μg mL−1 and significant growth inhibitions of 82.3 ± 3.3 against Candida albicans and of 79.2 ± 2.6 against Candida parapsilosis. This is the first report to isolate metabolites from the fungus Aspergillus found in temperate region date plant rhizospheres.

Thinning can significantly promote forest productivity and ecological function. Rhizosphere fungi play an indispensable role in regulating nutrient cycling between plants and the environment, and their community composition can positively respond to anthropogenic disturbance. However, the initial effects of thinning on rhizosphere fungal community assembly have seldom been reported. In this research, we studied the alterations in the rhizosphere fungal communities of 29-year-old Pinus massoniana in East Sichuan 2 years after three different thinning intensity treatments. In addition, the responses of fungal community and functional group composition to alterations in understory vegetation and soil physiochemical properties were analyzed. Three thinning intensities were set, which were 0 (CK), 25% (LIT), and 50% (HIT), respectively. The results suggested that the richness index and Shannon index of understory vegetation increased significantly with increasing thinning intensity. The alpha diversity indices of rhizosphere fungal community and soil physiochemical properties did not show significant differences among the three treatments. The relative abundances of 17 fungal indicator species varied regularly with increasing thinning intensity, and most of them belong to Hypocreales and Eurotiales, indicating that these two orders were potential indicators for different thinning treatments. Rhizosphere fungal community assembly was determined by deterministic process, and it was driven by the diversity of understory vegetation in the initial stage of thinning. The Simpson index and Pielou index of herbs were useful measures of the main environmental factors driving the differentiation of fungal functional group composition. Based on network analysis, thinning resulted in distinct co-occurrence patterns of rhizosphere fungal functional groups. This research elucidates the initial role of thinning in rhizosphere fungal community assembly of P. massoniana and has practical significance for the functional restoration and protection of local forest ecosystem.

Thinning can significantly promote forest productivity and ecological function. Rhizosphere fungi play an indispensable role in regulating nutrient cycling between plants and the environment, and their community composition can positively respond to anthropogenic disturbance. However, the initial effects of thinning on rhizosphere fungal community assembly have seldom been reported. In this research, we studied the alterations in the rhizosphere fungal communities of 29-year-old Pinus massoniana in East Sichuan 2 years after three different thinning intensity treatments. In addition, the responses of fungal community and functional group composition to alterations in understory vegetation and soil physiochemical properties were analyzed. Three thinning intensities were set, which were 0 (CK), 25% (LIT), and 50% (HIT), respectively. The results suggested that the richness index and Shannon index of understory vegetation increased significantly with increasing thinning intensity. The alpha diversity indices of rhizosphere fungal community and soil physiochemical properties did not show significant differences among the three treatments. The relative abundances of 17 fungal indicator species varied regularly with increasing thinning intensity, and most of them belong to Hypocreales and Eurotiales, indicating that these two orders were potential indicators for different thinning treatments. Rhizosphere fungal community assembly was determined by deterministic process, and it was driven by the diversity of understory vegetation in the initial stage of thinning. The Simpson index and Pielou index of herbs were useful measures of the main environmental factors driving the differentiation of fungal functional group composition. Based on network analysis, thinning resulted in distinct co-occurrence patterns of rhizosphere fungal functional groups. This research elucidates the initial role of thinning in rhizosphere fungal community assembly of P. massoniana and has practical significance for the functional restoration and protection of local forest ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Blast disease (&lt;i&gt;Pyricularia oryzae&lt;/i&gt;) is a major disease-causing yield losses in rice crops worldwide. Disease control using resistant varieties is less effective due to the high genetic variation in &lt;i&gt;P. oryzae&lt;/i&gt; populations in the field and the use of synthetic fungicides hurts the diversity of biological agents. This study aims to explore fungi in the rhizosphere of organic aromatic rice in North Luwu Regency that can utilized as biological control agents against three haplotypes of &lt;i&gt;P. oryzae&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Isolation of rhizosphere fungi using serial dilution method and scatter plate method. The identification of fungi based on microscopic and macroscopic characteristics. Genotype test of 15 &lt;i&gt;P. oryzae&lt;/i&gt; isolates used gene-based markers related to virulence traits, namely Erg2 (1,440 bp), Pwl2 (900 bp) and Cut1 (1,730 bp). Amplified DNA bands that appeared were scored as 1 (present) and 0 (absent). &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Exploring organic rice rhizosphere fungi in North Luwu Regency found potential biological control agents against three &lt;i&gt;P. oryzae&lt;/i&gt; haplotypes on local varieties: Juvenile and Bandarata. Twelve fungal isolates from the rhizosphere of aromatic rice were successfully isolated and six antagonistic fungal isolates were able to inhibit the growth of &lt;i&gt;P. oryzae&lt;/i&gt; haplotypes C-011, D-111 and F-110. &lt;i&gt;Trichoderma&lt;/i&gt; spp., isolates had the highest inhibition percentage of 72-90%, followed by &lt;i&gt;Penicillium &lt;/i&gt;sp., 1 with an inhibition percentage of 62-82%. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Twelve fungal isolates from the rhizosphere of aromatic rice were successfully isolated and six antagonistic fungal isolates were able to inhibit the growth of &lt;i&gt;P. oryzae&lt;/i&gt; haplotypes C-011, D-111 and F-110.

Rhizospheric and endophytic fungi are key factors which influence plant fitness and soil fertility. Atractylodes macrocephala is one of the best-known perennial herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. Continuous cropping has been shown to have a negative effect on its growth and renders it more susceptible to microbial pathogen attacks. In this study, we investigated the effects of continuous cropping on the endophytic and rhizospheric fungi associated with A. macrocephala using culture-independent Illumina MiSeq. Continuous cropping was found to decrease fungal diversity inside plant roots, stems, leaves and tubers. Additionally, we found that the structure and diversity of rhizospheric and endophytic fungal communities were altered by root-rot disease. Fusarium was overrepresented among root-rot rhizospheric and endophytic fungi, indicating that it has a major negative impact on plant health during A. macrocephala monocropping. Canonical correspondence analysis of the control and diseased samples revealed that pH, hydrolysis N, electrical conductivity and Hg content were well-correlated with fungal community composition during continuous cropping. Taken together, these results highlight the ecological significance of fungal communities in maintaining plant fitness and will guide the development strategies to attenuate the negative impacts of A. macrocephala continuous cropping.

[Objective] To understand the structure and composition of the gardenia rhizosphere fungus community, and to lay a theoretical foundation for the high-yield cultivation of gardenia. [Method] Using high-throughput sequencing technology, the different growth periods of gardenia (flower bud, full bloom, fruit) were analyzed. The dynamic changes of the fungal community in the rhizosphere of the gardenia during the swelling period and the full fruit period. [Result] The diversity of the soil fungal community in the gardenia rhizosphere was in the flower bud stage> the full flowering stage> the fruit expansion stage> the full fruit stage, and the samples at the bud stage had the most The community composition shows that the rhizosphere fungal community structure of Gardenia in each growth period is different, and the dominant flora mainly includes Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Mortierella; in the samples of full fruit period The relative abundance of Mortierella, Verticillium, and Penicillium is smaller than the other three periods (relative abundance is less than 1%), while the relative abundance of Trichoderma and Lactarius is greater than the other three periods (The relative abundance is more than 30%). The functions of the dominant growth-promoting fungi in the rhizosphere of gardenia are mainly focused on promoting the transformation of soil nutrients and enhancing the resistance of crops to pathogenic microorganisms. [Conclusion] The rhizosphere fungi of the gardenia are analyzed for the first time. The dynamic changes of the community structure provide a scientific basis for further research on the microecological process of the gardenia rhizosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The plant richness–productivity relationship is a central subject in ecology, yet the mechanisms behind this pattern remain debated. Soil fungi are closely associated with the dynamics of plant communities, however empirical evidence on how fungal communities integrate into the richness–productivity relationships of natural environments is lacking.We used Illumina high‐throughput sequencing to identify rhizosphere fungal communities across a natural plant richness gradient at two sites with different fertility conditions, and related the subsequent information to plant richness and productivity to elucidate the role of fungal guilds in integrating the linkages of both plant components.Saprotrophs, mycorrhizal fungi and potential plant pathogens interacted differently between the sites, with saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungal abundances being positively correlated at the high‐nutrient site and abundances of mycorrhizal fungi and potential plant pathogens being negatively correlated at the low‐nutrient site. The synergistic associations between these fungal guilds with plant richness and productivity operated in concert to promote positive richness–productivity relationships.Our findings provide empirical evidence for the importance of soil fungal guilds in integrating the linkages of plant richness and productivity, and suggest that future work incorporating soil fungal communities into richness–productivity relationships would advance our mechanistic understanding of their linkages. See also the Commentary on this article by Hannula & Träger, 226: 947–949. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex interactions involving soil physicochemical parameters and plant-associated microbial communities determine crop health. In Vietnam, this process is poorly understood in the context of black pepper production. Specifically, there is a dearth of information for improving the suppression of pathogenic fungi. Understanding the environmental dynamics influencing the distribution of these pathogens would facilitate the development and use of biological agents in black pepper pathogen management. Here, the molecular profiles of fungal communities from the rhizosphere of healthy and unhealthy Vietnamese black pepper orchards and their relationships were determined. Additionally, co-occurrence analyses with a previously constructed bacterial dataset identified taxa indicative of soil suppression. Alpha diversity of total fungi was influenced by only environmental factors, while that of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was more responsive to orchard health state. Glomus sp., Rhizophagus sp., Purpureocillium sp. and Plectosphaerella sp. were the most responsive genera to orchard health state. Potential fungal pathogens were more prevalent in the unhealthy orchards. Co-occurrence network analyses revealed that unhealthy orchards were less connected, had longer path distance and were missing putative pathogen-to-biocontrol interactions common in the healthy orchards. Soil electrical conductivity and potassium may be key factors in differentiating fungal communities of unhealthy from healthy orchards. This work highlights important microbial species and environmental considerations critical to improved black pepper management strategies. • Fungal alpha diversity was influenced by divergent factors in black pepper orchards. • Environmental factors and orchard health state dictated fungal community structure. • A suite of biomarkers of healthy and unhealthy orchard health state was described. • Unhealthy orchards were less connected and influenced by conductivity and potassium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colletotrichum coccodes (Wallr.) Hughes has been recognized as one of casual agents of anthracnose roots pepper in south-eastern Poland. During 2007–2012 the species was isolated from roots of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivated in the field. The purpose of the study was morphological characterization and biotic activity of C. coccodes isolates. Five randomly chosen isolates from fungus population and one reference isolate obtained from Bank of Plant Pathogens and Investigation of their Biodiversity of IPP-NRI in Poznan in Poland were studied. The character of culture like growth rate, the colour of averse and reverse and the formation of morphological structures of the fungus such as acervuli, conidia, sclerotia were studied. Ultrastructural observations of morphological structures were made using light and scanning electron microscopy. Biotic activity of C. coccodes was conducted using the method of biotic series on PDA. Seven species of test fungi were used in the study: Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Gibberella avenacea, G. intricans, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Trichoderma harzianum. The biotic activity test showed that C. coccodes is a weak competitor, and its development in the rhizosphere of sweet pepper may be limited by numerous antagonists.

Aims: Roots are key parts of plant material circulation and energy flow, creating two distinct niches for the plant microbiome, such as the rhizosphere and root endosphere, which interact to maintain plant growth and health. In this study, two niches of plant rhizosphere and root endosphere were selected to study the composition and differences of fungi communities in order to better understand how differences in the structure and function of plant fungi communities affect plant health., Methods and Results: The community structure, diversity, and ecological function of fungi in the rhizosphere and root endosphere of Cinnamomum migao were studied using high-throughput sequencing techniques, traditional culture methods, and the FUNGuild database. The results of the analysis of alpha diversity showed that the diversity of rhizosphere fungal communities in C. migao was much higher than that of root endosphere communities. Some similarities and differences were noted between the two niche fungal communities, and some fungi had niche preferences. Functional prediction results demonstrated that fungi in the rhizosphere and root endosphere adopt multiple trophic modes, mostly saprophytic fungi., Conclusions: This study provided a basis for an in-depth understanding of the structural variation, niche differentiation, and function of plant root-related fungal microbiota. We believe that it could provide guidance on the subsequent development of beneficial fungi., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.)

Excessive application of chemical fertilizer has caused many problems in Angelica dahurica var. formosana planting, such as yield decline and quality degradation. In order to promote the green cultivation mode of A. dahurica var. formosana and explore rhizosphere fungus resources, the rhizosphere fungi with nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, potassium solubilization, iron-producing carrier, and IAA-producing properties were isolated and screened in the rhizosphere of A. dahurica var. formosana from the genuine and non-genuine areas, respectively. The strains were identified comprehensively in light of the morphological characteristics and ITS rDNA sequences, and the growth-promoting effect of the screened strains was verified by pot experiment. The results showed that 37 strains of growth-promoting fungi were isolated and screened from the rhizosphere of A. dahurica var. formosana, mostly belonging to Fusarium. The cultured rhizosphere growth-promoting fungi of A. dahurica var. formosana were more abundant and diverse in the genuine producing areas than in the non-genuine producing areas. Among all strains, Aspergillus niger ZJ-17 had the strongest growth promotion potential. Under the condition of no fertilization outdoors, ZJ-17 inoculation significantly promoted the growth, yield, and accumulation of effective components of A. dahurica var. formosana planted in the soil of genuine and non-genuine producing areas, with yield increases of 73.59% and 37.84%, respectively. To a certain extent, it alleviated the restriction without additional fertilization on the growth of A. dahurica var. formosana. Therefore, A. niger ZJ-17 has great application prospects in increasing yield and quality of A. dahurica var. formosana and reducing fertilizer application and can be actually applied in promoting the growth of A. dahurica var. formosana and producing biofertilizer.

Tartary buckwheat ( Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) is an important pseudocereal crop with excellent edible, nutritional and medicinal values. However, the yield of Tartary buckwheat (TB) is very low due to old-fashioned cultivation techniques, particularly unreasonable application of nitrogen fertilizer. To improve the understanding on the theories of nitrogen use in TB, the effects of nitrogen application on growth, as well as chemical properties and microbial community of rhizosphere soil were investigated in this study. Nitrogen application could promote the plant height, stem diameter, nitrogen accumulation and yield of TB. The relative abundance and diversity of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere soil of TB were improved by nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen application increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lysobacter and Sphingomonas in rhizosphere soil, and decreased the abundance of pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium and Plectosphaerella . The results indicated that nitrogen application changed the distribution of microbial communities in TB rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, the specific enriched or depleted microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil of four TB varieties were analyzed at OTU level. 87 specific nitrogen-responsive genes with sequence variation were identified in four varieties by integrating genomic re-sequencing and transcriptome analysis, and these genes may involve in the recruitment of specific rhizosphere microorganisms in different TB varieties. This study provided new insights into the effects of nitrogen application on TB growth and rhizosphere microbial community, and improved the understanding on the mechanisms of TB root-microbe interactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Qiu, Xiang, Li, Wang, Wan, Wu, Ye, Jiang, Fan, Liu, Liu, Li and Liu.)

Bioturbation is an important ecosystem process, and the loss of native digging mammals due to introduced predators and habitat loss may have detrimental consequences for ecosystem health. The mycophagous woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) was once widespread across the Australian continent and currently exists in a greatly reduced range, while the omnivorous quenda (Isoodon fusciventer), which once occurred across the southern part of Western Australia (WA), remains common in south west WA over a reduced range. Populations of these two digging marsupials are currently maintained within sanctuaries where they can reach high densities. To assess the influence these digging marsupials have on fungal assemblages, we investigated fungal root associations among seedlings of a key mycorrhizal forest canopy species, Corymbia calophylla, R. Br. K. D. Hill and L. A. S. Johnson. Seedlings were grown in soil collected from inside (heavily-dug soil) and outside (minimally-dug soil) two predator-proof sanctuaries. Our results showed that above-ground seedling biomass was significantly greater for seedlings grown in soil collected from inside the sanctuaries. There were no differences in the diversity or species richness of rhizosphere fungal communities isolated from these seedlings; however, the community composition was significantly different. This was most obvious for the predator-proof enclosure that had been in place for 20 years (Karakamia Sanctuary) compared with the more recently-installed Perup Sanctuary (fenced in 2010; 4 years before this study). At Karakamia, there were greater numbers of putatively hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi inside the enclosure and four times the number of operational taxonomic units of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi outside the enclosure. The differences in fungal communities suggest that digging mammals play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning by influencing the rhizosphere of this key forest canopy species, which has implications for maintaining the health and persistence of forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent days Good Agricultural Practices are followed for the production of quality raw material. Additionally there are increasing interest on the role of rhizosphere fungi for the enhancing the quality of active compounds of medicinal and aromatic plants. Mentha arvensis L. is an important medicinal and aromatic plant cultivated for its essential oil (EO) used for treating diseases and disorders by traditional healers. In the present investigation rhizosphere soil samples of M. arvensis were collected from Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri. The most abundant rhizosphere fungal species were found namely, Aspergillus niger (42.02 %), Rhizopus stolonifer (23.1 8%), R. nigricans (15.95 %) followed by A. flavus (2.89 %), R. nodosus (2.89 %), A. terreus (1.44 %), A. Parasiticose (1.44 %), A. terricola (1.44 %), A. sclerotioniger (1.44 %), Nigrospora sphaerica (1.44 %), Trichoderma viride (1.44 %), T. harzianum (1.44 %), A. fumigatus (1.44 %) and Zygorhynchus molleri (1.44 %). Influence of rhizosphere fungi on EO of M. arvensis seedlings was studied by using pots containing inoculated soil. Essential oil content showed a maximum of 0.88 % in the treatment of T. viride followed by A. niger (0.78 %), A. flavus (0.72 %), T. harzianum, R. nodosus (0.56 %), A. terreus (0.53 %) and R. stolonifer (0.45 %). A minimum of 0.42 % content was observed in the treatments of A. terricola inoculants. T. viride inoculated plants also had significant highest concentration of menthol (98.25 %) in comparison to other rhizosphere fungi. T. harzianum with (98.7 %) menthol followed by R. stolonifer, A. niger (98.06 %), R. nodosus (97.78 %), A. flavus (97.72 %), A. terricola (96.42 %), Z. moelleri (93.71 %) and A. terreus (91.47 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of rhizospheric microbial flora for the enhancement of aroma compounds is well recognized. The rhizosphere microbes also play very important role in improving medicinal values of plants. Rhizospheric microbes affect the plant physiology by imparting several useful effects such as nitrogen fixation, nutrient uptake, and production of secondary metabolites in the medicinal and aromatic plants. Recent days there are increasing the interests in the research of the relation between rhizosphere microbes associated with medicinal plant for the improvement of quality of medicinal plants. A large variety of fungi and bacteria is recognized in the rhizosphere soil of medicinal plants that showed significant effect in secondary metabolite alteration and uptake of plant nutrient. There are reports that rhizosphere fungi not only enhanced the growth parameters in plants but also considerably modulated essential oil's quality. This study highlighted the researches performed on active role of rhizosphere fungi on explored medicinal and aromatic plants. As the use of organic material is one of the constituents of good agricultural practices (GAPs). Therefore, this review also investigates the environmental concerns reducing the use harmful chemicals as well as recommendation for utilization of biological and organics in agriculture. Therefore, a proper understanding of role of rhizosphere mycoflora associated with the medicinal plants is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endomycorrhizal and rhizosphene fungi were recovered from soil samples collected from the root of plants in Iraq. The relations between the two fungal populations were investigated.

Density and diversity of Fusarium species and other fungi associated with rhizosphere and rhizoplane of lentil and sesame plants at three different growth stages were investigated. Sixteen species of Fusarium were isolated from rhizosphere (13 species) and rhizoplane (11) of both plants studied. In lentil, 11 species were recorded from its rhizosphere (9 species) and rhizoplane (8). Fusarium species associated with lentil rhizoplane gave highest number of propagules at the first stage of plant growth while the ones of Fusarium associated with the rhizosphere produced the highest number at the second stage of growth. F. solani was the most common in the three growth stages. In addition, of two growth stages, F. culmorum and F. tricinctum were isolated from the rhizosphere while F. nygamai and F. verticillioides from the rhizoplane. The other species were recorded from only one growth stage of lentil plant. In sesame plants, rhizosphere yielded nine Fusarium species while rhizoplane gave only six from the three stages investigated. Stage I of sesame rhizosphere possessed the highest colony forming units of Fusarium. As the case for lentil, F. solani was the most common species in sesame rhizospere and rhizoplane. F. verticillioides and F. nygamai (in three different growth stages) followed by F. oxysporum and F. tricinctum (in two growth stages) were recorded using the dilution-plate and/or soil-plate methods from sesame rhizosphere soils. Rhizoplane Fusarium species of sesame plants were isolated at the three different growth stages with almost equal number of colony forming units. F. poae came after F. solani in its frequency since it was recovered from two growth stages. Several of the isolated species are well-known as pathogens to many cultivated plants. To the best of our knowledge, three species are recorded here for the first time in Egypt from the rhizosphere (F. acutatum), rhizoplane of sesame plants (F. longipes) and from rhizosphere of both lentil and sesame and rhizoplane of lentil (F. nygamai).

Healthy Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) transplants had in rhizosphere a community of saprotrophic fungi which considerably suppressed the growth of severe root pathogens Heterobasidion annosum and Armillaria obscura. A community from transplants affected by needle cast (Lophodermium spp.) suppressed both pathogens to a much smaller extent.