From Isolation to Application: a Case Study of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of the Arabian Peninsula

Overview

Journal Symbiosis

Date 2022 Apr 4

PMID 35368327

Authors

Mohamed N Al-Yahyaei

Janusz Blaszkowski

Hamood Al-Hashmi

Khaled Al-Farsi

Ismail Al-Rashdi

Annette Patzelt

Thomas Boller

Andres Wiemken

Sarah Symanczik

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The vegetation in the Arabian Peninsula experiences drought, heat, soil salinity, and low fertility, mainly due to low phosphorus (P) availability. The beneficial mycorrhizal symbiosis between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a key factor supporting plant growth under such environmental conditions. Therefore, AMF strains isolated from these soils might be useful as biotechnological tools for agriculture and revegetation practices in the region. Here we present a pioneering program to isolate, identify, and apply AMF isolated from rhizosphere soils of agricultural and natural habitats, namely date palm plantations and five native desert plants, respectively in the Southern Arabian Peninsula. We established taxonomically unique AMF species as single-spore cultures as part of an expanding collection of AMF strains adapted to arid ecosystems. Preliminary experiments were conducted to evaluate the abilities of these AMF strains to promote seedling growth of a main crop L. and a common plant L. (Druce) in the Arabian Peninsula. The results showed that inoculation with certain AMF species enhanced the growth of both plants, highlighting the potential of these fungi as part of sustainable land use practices in this region.

Citing Articles

Plant and soil responses to tillage practices change arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi populations during crop growth.

Li J, Jia L, Struik P, An Z, Wang Z, Xu Z Front Microbiol. 2024; 15:1394104.

PMID: 38650888 PMC: 11034428. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1394104.

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