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Venneman J, De Tender C, Debode J, Audenaert K, Baert G, Vermeir P, Cremelie P, Bekaert B, Landschoot S, Thienpondt B, Djailo BD, Vereecke D, Haesaert G. Sebacinoids within rhizospheric fungal communities associated with subsistence farming in the Congo Basin: a needle in each haystack. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 95:5524361. [PMID: 31247636 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique ecosystem of the Congolese rainforest has only scarcely been explored for its plant-fungal interactions. Here, we characterized the root fungal communities of field-grown maize and of Panicum from adjacent borders in the Congo Basin and assessed parameters that could shape them. The soil properties indicated that comparable poor soil conditions prevailed in fields and borders, illustrating the low input character of local subsistence farming. The rhizosphere fungal communities, dominated by ascomycetous members, were structured by plant species, slash-and-burn practices and soil P, pH and C/N ratio. Examining fungi with potential plant growth-promoting abilities, the glomeromycotan communities appeared to be affected by the same parameters, whereas the inconspicuous symbionts of the order Sebacinales seemed less susceptible to environmental and anthropogenic factors. Notwithstanding the low abundances at which they were detected, sebacinoids occurred in 87% of the field samples, implying that they represent a consistent taxon within indigenous fungal populations across smallholder farm sites. Pending further insight into their ecosystem functionality, these data suggest that Sebacinales are robust root inhabitants that might be relevant for on-farm inoculum development within sustainable soil fertility management in the Sub-Saharan region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Venneman
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Caroline De Tender
- Plant Sciences Unit, Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 96, BE-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.,Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S9, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jane Debode
- Plant Sciences Unit, Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 96, BE-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Kris Audenaert
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Baert
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieter Vermeir
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Chemical Analysis (LCA), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieter Cremelie
- Plant Sciences Unit, Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 96, BE-9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Boris Bekaert
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sofie Landschoot
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bert Thienpondt
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Benoît Dhed'a Djailo
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, Kisangani University, B.P. 2012, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Danny Vereecke
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Haesaert
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, BE-9000, Ghent, Belgium
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Venneman J, Audenaert K, Verwaeren J, Baert G, Boeckx P, Moango AM, Dhed’a BD, Vereecke D, Haesaert G. Congolese Rhizospheric Soils as a Rich Source of New Plant Growth-Promoting Endophytic Piriformospora Isolates. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:212. [PMID: 28261171 PMCID: PMC5306995 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, there has been an increasing focus on the implementation of plant growth-promoting (PGP) organisms as a sustainable option to compensate for poor soil fertility conditions in developing countries. Trap systems were used in an effort to isolate PGP fungi from rhizospheric soil samples collected in the region around Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With sudangrass as a host, a highly conducive environment was created for sebacinalean chlamydospore formation inside the plant roots resulting in a collection of 51 axenically cultured isolates of the elusive genus Piriformospora (recently transferred to the genus Serendipita). Based on morphological data, ISSR fingerprinting profiles and marker gene sequences, we propose that these isolates together with Piriformospora williamsii constitute a species complex designated Piriformospora (= Serendipita) 'williamsii.' A selection of isolates strongly promoted plant growth of in vitro inoculated Arabidopsis seedlings, which was evidenced by an increase in shoot fresh weight and a strong stimulation of lateral root formation. This isolate collection provides unprecedented opportunities for fundamental as well as translational research on the Serendipitaceae, a family of fungal endophytes in full expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Venneman
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
| | - Kris Audenaert
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
| | - Jan Verwaeren
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
| | - Geert Baert
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
| | - Pascal Boeckx
- Isotope Bioscience Laboratory-ISOFYS, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
| | - Adrien M. Moango
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, Kisangani UniversityKisangani, Congo
| | - Benoît D. Dhed’a
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, Kisangani UniversityKisangani, Congo
| | - Danny Vereecke
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
| | - Geert Haesaert
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent UniversityGhent, Belgium
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