TY - JOUR

T1 - Multimodal correlative imaging and modelling of phosphorus uptake from soil by hyphae of mycorrhizal fungi

AU - Keyes, Sam

AU - van Veelen, Arjen

AU - Fletcher, Dan McKay

AU - Scotson, Callum

AU - Koebernick, Nico

AU - Petroselli, Chiara

AU - Williams, Katherine

AU - Ruiz, Siul

AU - Cooper, Laura

AU - Mayon, Robbie

AU - Duncan, Simon

AU - Dumont, Marc

AU - Jakobsen, Iver

AU - Oldroyd, Giles

AU - Tkacz, Andrzej

AU - Poole, Philip

AU - Mosselmans, Fred

AU - Borca, Camelia

AU - Huthwelker, Thomas

AU - Jones, Davey L.

AU - Roose, Tiina

PY - 2022/4/1

Y1 - 2022/4/1

N2 - Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) aid its uptake by acquiring P from sources distant from roots in return for carbon. Little is known about how AMF colonise soil pore-space, and models of AMF-enhanced P-uptake are poorly validated.We used synchrotron X-ray computed tomography to visualize mycorrhizas in soil and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence/X-ray absorption near edge structure (XRF/XANES) elemental mapping for P, sulphur (S) and aluminium (Al) in combination with modelling.We found that AMF inoculation had a suppressive effect on colonisation by other soil fungi and identified differences in structure and growth rate between hyphae of AMF and nonmycorrhizal fungi. Our results showed that AMF co-locate with areas of high P and low Al, and preferentially associate with organic-type P species over Al-rich inorganic P.We discovered that AMF avoid Al-rich areas as a source of P. Sulphur-rich regions were found to be correlated with higher hyphal density and an increased organic-associated P-pool, whilst oxidized S-species were found close to AMF hyphae. Increased S oxidation close to AMF suggested the observed changes were microbiome-related. Our experimentally-validated model led to an estimate of P-uptake by AMF hyphae that is an order of magnitude lower than rates previously estimated – a result with significant implications for the modelling of plant–soil–AMF interactions.

AB - Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) aid its uptake by acquiring P from sources distant from roots in return for carbon. Little is known about how AMF colonise soil pore-space, and models of AMF-enhanced P-uptake are poorly validated.We used synchrotron X-ray computed tomography to visualize mycorrhizas in soil and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence/X-ray absorption near edge structure (XRF/XANES) elemental mapping for P, sulphur (S) and aluminium (Al) in combination with modelling.We found that AMF inoculation had a suppressive effect on colonisation by other soil fungi and identified differences in structure and growth rate between hyphae of AMF and nonmycorrhizal fungi. Our results showed that AMF co-locate with areas of high P and low Al, and preferentially associate with organic-type P species over Al-rich inorganic P.We discovered that AMF avoid Al-rich areas as a source of P. Sulphur-rich regions were found to be correlated with higher hyphal density and an increased organic-associated P-pool, whilst oxidized S-species were found close to AMF hyphae. Increased S oxidation close to AMF suggested the observed changes were microbiome-related. Our experimentally-validated model led to an estimate of P-uptake by AMF hyphae that is an order of magnitude lower than rates previously estimated – a result with significant implications for the modelling of plant–soil–AMF interactions.

KW - mycorrhizas

KW - plant phosphorus uptake

KW - rhizosphere modelling

KW - synchrotron

KW - X-ray computed tomography

KW - X-ray fluorescence

U2 - 10.1111/nph.17980

DO - 10.1111/nph.17980

M3 - Article

C2 - 35043984

VL - 234

SP - 688

EP - 703

JO - New Phytologist

JF - New Phytologist

SN - 0028-646X

IS - 2

ER -