Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds?
BACKGROUND: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known for their beneficial effects on plants. However, there is increasing evidence that some ruderal plants, including several agricultural weeds, respond negatively to AMF colonization. Here, we investigated the effect of AMF on the growth of indi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2011-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3229497?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818025766962593792 |
|---|---|
| author | Rita S L Veiga Jan Jansa Emmanuel Frossard Marcel G A van der Heijden |
| author_facet | Rita S L Veiga Jan Jansa Emmanuel Frossard Marcel G A van der Heijden |
| author_sort | Rita S L Veiga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known for their beneficial effects on plants. However, there is increasing evidence that some ruderal plants, including several agricultural weeds, respond negatively to AMF colonization. Here, we investigated the effect of AMF on the growth of individual weed species and on weed-crop interactions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: First, under controlled glasshouse conditions, we screened growth responses of nine weed species and three crops to a widespread AMF, Glomus intraradices. None of the weeds screened showed a significant positive mycorrhizal growth response and four weed species were significantly reduced by the AMF (growth responses between -22 and -35%). In a subsequent experiment, we selected three of the negatively responding weed species--Echinochloa crus-galli, Setaria viridis and Solanum nigrum--and analyzed their responses to a combination of three AMF (Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae and Glomus claroideum). Finally, we tested whether the presence of a crop (maize) enhanced the suppressive effect of AMF on weeds. We found that the growth of the three selected weed species was also reduced by a combination of AMF and that the presence of maize amplified the negative effect of AMF on the growth of E. crus-galli. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results show that AMF can negatively influence the growth of some weed species indicating that AMF have the potential to act as determinants of weed community structure. Furthermore, mycorrhizal weed growth reductions can be amplified in the presence of a crop. Previous studies have shown that AMF provide a number of beneficial ecosystem services. Taken together with our current results, the maintenance and promotion of AMF activity may thereby contribute to sustainable management of agroecosystems. However, in order to further the practical and ecological relevance of our findings, additional experiments should be performed under field conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:21:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85ffe4d14d9643a19acdd00e0f453e30 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:21:20Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-85ffe4d14d9643a19acdd00e0f453e302022-12-22T02:02:25ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-01612e2782510.1371/journal.pone.0027825Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds?Rita S L VeigaJan JansaEmmanuel FrossardMarcel G A van der HeijdenBACKGROUND: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known for their beneficial effects on plants. However, there is increasing evidence that some ruderal plants, including several agricultural weeds, respond negatively to AMF colonization. Here, we investigated the effect of AMF on the growth of individual weed species and on weed-crop interactions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: First, under controlled glasshouse conditions, we screened growth responses of nine weed species and three crops to a widespread AMF, Glomus intraradices. None of the weeds screened showed a significant positive mycorrhizal growth response and four weed species were significantly reduced by the AMF (growth responses between -22 and -35%). In a subsequent experiment, we selected three of the negatively responding weed species--Echinochloa crus-galli, Setaria viridis and Solanum nigrum--and analyzed their responses to a combination of three AMF (Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae and Glomus claroideum). Finally, we tested whether the presence of a crop (maize) enhanced the suppressive effect of AMF on weeds. We found that the growth of the three selected weed species was also reduced by a combination of AMF and that the presence of maize amplified the negative effect of AMF on the growth of E. crus-galli. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results show that AMF can negatively influence the growth of some weed species indicating that AMF have the potential to act as determinants of weed community structure. Furthermore, mycorrhizal weed growth reductions can be amplified in the presence of a crop. Previous studies have shown that AMF provide a number of beneficial ecosystem services. Taken together with our current results, the maintenance and promotion of AMF activity may thereby contribute to sustainable management of agroecosystems. However, in order to further the practical and ecological relevance of our findings, additional experiments should be performed under field conditions.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3229497?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Rita S L Veiga Jan Jansa Emmanuel Frossard Marcel G A van der Heijden Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds? PLoS ONE |
| title | Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds? |
| title_full | Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds? |
| title_fullStr | Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds? |
| title_short | Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds? |
| title_sort | can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduce the growth of agricultural weeds |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3229497?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ritaslveiga canarbuscularmycorrhizalfungireducethegrowthofagriculturalweeds AT janjansa canarbuscularmycorrhizalfungireducethegrowthofagriculturalweeds AT emmanuelfrossard canarbuscularmycorrhizalfungireducethegrowthofagriculturalweeds AT marcelgavanderheijden canarbuscularmycorrhizalfungireducethegrowthofagriculturalweeds |