Effect of AM fungi on alfalfa responses to aphid stress

doi:10.11686/cyxb2019150

Abstract

Abstract: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is widely planted around the world, and is one of the most important perennial forage legumes due to its high yield and good feed quality, including a high nitrogen content. The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) is also important globally as an insect pest of many crops and forages. The pea aphid can cause serious production losses in alfalfa, and is also the major vector of many plant viruses. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are very important soil microorganisms which can colonize plant roots of 80% of terrestrial plant species, and then form mutualistic symbioses with the roots in natural and agricultural ecosystems. The AM fungus generally confers growth and fitness benefits on its host plants and can promote host plant nutrient uptake. The AM fungus also plays important roles in plant defenses against both biotic and abiotic stress. The present study was designed to test the effect of two AM fungi, Rhizophagus intraradices and Claroideoglomus etunicatum, on alfalfa responses to pea aphid stress. It was found that AM fungi can regulate the plant response to aphids by promoting plant growth and nutrient uptake, changing plant defense enzyme activity, and concentration of plant hormone signaling substances. Presence of R. intraradices and C. etunicatum significantly increased the biomass, branch number and N and P content of alfalfa (P<0.05). In addition, R. intraradices significantly promoted peroxidase (POD) enzyme activity. Compared to plants with no mycorrhizal treatment, AM plants had higher catalase activity and salicylic acid (SA) concentration after aphid infestation (P<0.05). C. etunicatum significantly promoted POD activity (P<0.05). SA and nitric oxide (NO) concentration of alfalfa was increased after aphid infestation, and aphid infestation significantly inhibited superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P<0.05). AM fungal colonization further promoted root P content, POD and SOD activities, and SA concentration of aphid-infested plants, which suggests that AM fungi can alleviate pea aphid damage to alfalfa.

Key words: Medicago sativa, Acyrthosiphon pisum, AM fungi

LI Ying-de, DING Ting-ting, DUAN Ting-yu. Effect of AM fungi on alfalfa responses to aphid stress[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2020, 29(1): 155-162.

References

[1] Smith S E, Read D F.Mycorrhizal symbiosis (Third Edition). London: Academic Press, 2008.
[2] Duan T, Facelli E, Smith S E, et al. Differential effects of soil disturbance and plant residue retention on function of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis are not reflected in colonization of roots or hyphal development in soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2011, 43(3): 571-578.
[3] Li F, Guo Y E, Christensen M J, et al. An arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and Epichloё festucae var. lolii reduce Bipolaris sorokiniana disease incidence and improve perennial ryegrass growth. Mycorrhiza, 2017, 28(5): 1-11.
[4] Shrivastava G, Ownley B H, Augé R M, et al. Colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi enhanced terpene production in tomato plants and their defense against a herbivorous insect. Symbiosis, 2015, 65(2): 65-74.
[5] Garg N, Bharti A.Salicylic acid improves arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, and chickpea growth and yield by modulating carbohydrate metabolism under salt stress. Mycorrhiza, 2018, 28: 727-746.
[6] Zhang T, Hu Y, Zhang K, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve plant growth of Ricinus communis by altering photosynthetic properties and increasing pigments under drought and salt stress. Industrial Crops and Products, 2018, 117: 13-19.
[7] Sun J Q, Liu R J, Li M.Advances in the study of increasing plant stress resistance and mechanisms by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Plant Physiology Communications, 2012, 48(9): 845-852.
孙吉庆, 刘润进, 李敏. 丛枝菌根真菌提高植物抗逆性的效应及其机制研究进展. 植物生理学报, 2012, 48(9): 845-852.
[8] Harmon J P, Moran N A, Ives A R.Species response to environmental change: Impacts of food web interactions and evolution. Science, 2009, 323: 1347-1350.
[9] Liu Y H, Zhong M Y, Wu R X, et al. AM fungi mediated insect resistance of Elymus nutans. Acta Agrestia Sinica, 2016, 24(3): 604-609.
刘月华, 钟梦莹, 武瑞鑫, 等. AM真菌介导垂穗披碱草抗虫作用研究. 草地学报, 2016, 24(3): 604-609.
[10] Gange A C, Brown V K, Aplin D M.Ecological specificity of arbuscular mycorrhizae: Evidence from foliar- and seed-feeding insects. Ecology, 2005, 86(3): 603-611.
[11] Maurya A K, Kelly M P, Mahaney S M, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis alters plant gene expression and aphid weight in a tripartite interaction. Journal of Plant Interactions, 2018, 13(1): 294-305.
[12] Catherine G, Alison B.Mycorrhizal fungal-plant-insect interactions: The importance of a community approach. Environmental Entomology, 2009, 38(1): 93-102.
[13] Gange A C, Bower E, Brown V K.Positive effects of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on aphid life history traits. Oecologia, 1999, 120(1): 123-131.
[14] Nishida T, Katayama N, Izumi N, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi species-specifically affect induced plant responses to a spider mite. Population Ecology, 2010, 52(4): 507-515.
[15] Gange A C.Species-specific responses of a root- and shoot-feeding insect to arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of its host plant. New Phytologist, 2010, 150(3): 611-618.
[16] Kang L.The chemical defenses of plants to phytophagous insects. Chinese Bulletin of Botany, 1995, 12(4): 22-27.
康乐. 植物对昆虫的化学防御. 植物学通报, 1995, 12(4): 22-27.
[17] Li Y D, Yan Z C, Gao P, et al. Effect of Glomus mosseae on root rot disease of Medicago sativa caused by Microdochium tabacinum. Chinese Journal of Biological Control, 2018, 34(4): 598-605.
李应德, 闫智臣, 高萍, 等. 摩西球囊霉对紫花苜蓿烟色织孢霉根腐病的影响. 中国生物防治学报, 2018, 34(4): 598-605.
[18] Giovannetti M, Mosse B.An evaluation of techniques for measuring vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal infection in roots. New Phytologist, 1980, 84(3): 489-500.
[19] Wang X K.Principles and techniques of plant physiological and biochemical experiments. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2006.
王学奎. 植物生理生化实验原理和技术. 北京: 高等教育出版社, 2006.
[20] Li H S.Principles and techniques of plant physiological and biochemical experiments. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2000.
李合生. 植物生理生化实验原理和技术. 北京: 高等教育出版社, 2000.
[21] Gao J F.Plant physiology experiment guide. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2006.
高俊凤. 植物生理实验指导. 北京: 高等教育出版社, 2006.
[22] Chen W, Li J, Zhu H, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus enhances lateral root formation in Poncirus trifoliata (L.) as revealed by RNA-Seq analysis. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2017, 8: 2039.
[23] Li J, Sun Y, Jiang X, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviate arsenic toxicity to Medicago sativa by influencing arsenic speciation and partitioning. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2018, 157: 235-243.
[24] He S, Long M, He X, et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and water availability affect biomass and C:N:P ecological stoichiometry in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) during regrowth. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 2017, 39(9): 199.
[25] Ashrafi E, Zahedi M, Razmjoo J.Co-inoculations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia under salinity in alfalfa. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 2014, 60(5): 619-629.
[26] Bastías D A, Alejandra M-G M, Newman J A, et al. The plant hormone salicylic acid interacts with the mechanism of anti-herbivory conferred by fungal endophytes in grasses. Plant Cell and Environment, 2017, 41(2): 395-405.
[27] Hu M, Zhu Y, Liu G, et al. Inhibition on anthracnose and induction of defense response by nitric oxide in pitaya fruit. Scientia Horticulturae, 2019, 245: 224-230.
[28] Asif A, Liaqat S, Shamsur R, et al. Plant defense mechanism and current understanding of salicylic acid and NPRs in activating SAR. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, 2018, 104: 15-22.
[29] Ruley A T, Sharma N C, Sahi S V.Antioxidant defense in a lead accumulating plant, Sesbania drummondii. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2004, 42(11): 899-906.
[30] Dong Y J, Chen W F, He M R.Effects of slow release exogenous nitric oxide and slow release salicylic acid on physiological characteristics of winter wheat under salt stress. Chinese Journal of Soil Science, 2018, 49(3): 623-629.
董元杰, 陈为峰, 贺明荣. 缓释外源一氧化氮(NO)与缓释水杨酸(SA)对盐胁迫下冬小麦生理特性的影响. 土壤通报, 2018, 49(3): 623-629.
[31] Mo X F, Wen Q L, Qin L P, et al. Improving heat-resistance of Rhododendron hybridum by using salicylic acid combined with abscisic acid during high temperature stress. Northern Horticulture, 2018, (13): 87-94.
莫小锋, 文清岚, 秦丽萍, 等. 外源水杨酸和脱落酸复合处理提高杜鹃花叶片耐热性. 北方园艺, 2018, (13): 87-94.