Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-c654p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-26T13:38:49.177Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Fungal associations on field-weathered plants and their role in residue decomposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2009

Marion E. Simpson ,
Paul B. Marsh  and
Lawrence J. Sikora
Marion E. Simpson
Affiliation:
Microbiologists in the Soil Microbial Systems Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Paul B. Marsh
Affiliation:
Microbiologists in the Soil Microbial Systems Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Lawrence J. Sikora
Affiliation:
Microbiologists in the Soil Microbial Systems Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Get access

Abstract

Basic microbiological information is presented which is relevant to an understanding of the decomposition of crop residues in conservation and conventional tillage practices. Little has been known about the role in crop residue decomposition of microbial populations that grow on dead leaves and stems of crop plants standing in the field after maturation. Even the identity of such organisms has not been thoroughly defined. Dead leaves and stems were collected from corn and from other field crop, garden, and native plants standing during weathering after maturation in fields at Beltsville, Md., and at seven other U.S. locations in the fall of 1984 and the spring of 1985. Certain “field fungi” from the genera Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Helminthosporium (Bipolaris) occurred as a common population growing on samples from most locations in spite of major differences in temperature and precipitation during the weathering. All fungi observed are known from the literature to be able to decompose native cellulose in pure culture. Some can grow on plant waxes. They grow poorly, if at all, in the absence of oxygen. All grow best in the presence of free water; none are true xerophytes, although some can resist wetting-drying cycles. They are mesophiles and exhibit most rapid growth at about 25–28 C. Some can survive over winter in plant tissues in cold climates. Probable relevance of these characteristics to residue decomposition in field situations is discussed.

Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , Spring 1986 , pp. 89 - 94
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Allen, S. J., Brown, J. F., and Kochman, J. K.. 1983. Effects of temperature, dew period, and light on the growth and development of Alternaria helianthi. Phytopathology 73:893–896.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Brooks, C. and Cooley, J. S.. 1917. Temperature relations of apple-rot fungi. J. Agr. Res. 8:139–164.Google Scholar
3.Brooks, C. and Cooley, J. S.. 1921. Temperature relations of stone fruit fungi. J. Agr. Res. 22:451–465.Google Scholar
4.Brown, A. E. 1984. Epicoccum nigrum, a primary saprophyte involved in the retting of flax. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 83:29–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Christensen, C. M. and Kaufmann, H. H.. 1969. Grain storage; the role of fungi in quality loss. Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN.Google Scholar
6.Chupp, C. and Sherf, A. F.. 1960. Vegetable diseases and their control. The Ronald Press Co., New York, NY.Google Scholar
7.Clarke, J. H. and Hill, S. T.. 1981. Mycofloras of moist barley during sealed storage in farm and laboratory silos. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 77:557–565.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Cochrane, V. W. 1958. Physiology of fungi. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Coley-Smith, J. R., Verhoeff, K., and Jarvis, W. R.. 1980. The biology of Botrytis. Academic Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
10.Dickinson, C. H. and MacNamara, O. C.. 1983. In vitro degradation of Ilex aquifolium leaf cutin by phylloplane fungi. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 81:347–354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Dickinson, C. H. and Preece, T. F.. 1976. Microbiology of aerial plant surfaces. Academic Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
12.Diem, H. G. 1971. Effect of low humidity on the survival of germinated spores commonly found in the phyllosphere. pp. 211–219. In: Preece, T. F. and Dickinson, C. H. (eds.) Ecology of leaf surface microorganisms. Academic Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
13.Frazier, W. C. 1958. Food microbiology. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.Google Scholar
14.Garraway, M. O. and Evans, R. C.. 1984. Fungal nutrition and physiology. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.Google Scholar
15.Ghurde, V. R. 1966. Saprophytic ability of species of Helminthosporium. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 49:241–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Gilman, J. C. 1957. A manual of soil fungi. Iowa State College Press, Ames, IA.Google Scholar
17.Griffin, D. M. 1972. Ecology of soil fungi. Syracuse Univ. Press, Syracuse, NY.Google Scholar
18.Harris, R. F., Chesters, G., and Allen, O. N.. 1966. Dynamics of soil aggregation. Adv. Agron. 18:107–169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Hasija, S. K. 1970. Physiological studies of Alternaria citri and A. tenuis. Mycologia. 62:289–295.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Hogg, B. M. and Hudson, H. J.. 1966. Micro-fungi on leaves of Fagus sylvatica: I. The micro-fungal succession. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 49:185–192.Google Scholar
21.Hooker, W. J. (ed.) 1981. Compendium of potato diseases. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.Google Scholar
22.Hudson, H. J. 1962. Succession of micro-fungi on aging leaves of Saccharum officinarum. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 45:395–423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Hudson, H. J. 1971. The development of the Saprophytic fungal flora as leaves senesce and fall. pp. 447–455. In: Preece, T. F. and Dickinson, C. H. (eds.) Ecology of leaf surface micro-organisms. Academic Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
24.Kirk, T. K., Higuchi, T., and Chang, H.. 1980. Lignin biodegradation: microbiology, chemistry, and potential applications. Vol. II. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.Google Scholar
25.Kremer, R. J. 1986. Microorganisms associated with velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) seeds on the soil surface. Weed Science 34:233–236.Google Scholar
26.Lauritzen, J. I. 1926. The relation of black rot to the storage of carrots. J. Agr. Res. 33:1025–1041.Google Scholar
27.Mackenzie, D. R. 1981. Association of potato early blight, nitrogen fertilizer rate, and potato yield. Plant Dis. 65:575–577.Google Scholar
28.Magan, N. and Lacey, J.. 1984. Effect of temperature and pH on water relations of field and storage fungi. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 82:71–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Magan, N. and Lacey, J.. 1984. Effect of water activity, temperature and substrate on interactions between field and storage fungi. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 82:83–93.Google Scholar
30.Manzo, S. K. and Claflin, L. E.. 1984. Survival of Fusarium moniliforme hyphae and conidia in grain sorghum stalks. Plant Dis. 68:866–867.Google Scholar
31.Marsh, P. B. and Bollenbacher, K.. 1949. The fungi concerned in fiber deterioration. I: Their occurrence. Textile Res. J. 19:313–324.Google Scholar
32.Marsh, P. B., Bollenbacher, K., Butler, M. L., and Raper, K. B.. 1949. The fungi concerned in fiber dete rioration: II. Their ability to decompose cellulose. Textile Res. J. 19:462–484.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33.Marsh, P. B. and Simpson, M. E.. 1976. Influence of some field conditions on the occurrence of aflatoxins in cottonseeds at harvest. Public-Supported Cotton Research: Proc. Conference of Collaboratore from Southern Agricultural Experiment Stations 1973. ARS-S-70:22–30.Google Scholar
34.Marsh, P. B., and Simpson, M. E.. 1982. Some possible relations of fungi in cotton fiber to byssinosis. pp. 213–221. In: Montalvo, J. Jr., (ed.) Cotton dust: Controlling an occupational health hazard. ACS Symposium Series 189. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35.Martin, J. T. and Juniper, B. E.. 1970. The cuticles of plants. St. Martin's Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
36.Mathre, D. E. (ed.) 1982. Compendium of barley diseases. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.Google Scholar
37.McBeath, J. H. 1985. Pink snow mold on winter cereals and lawn grasses in Alaska. Plant Dis. 69:722–723.Google Scholar
38.Miller, M. E. 1983. Relationships between onion leaf age and susceptibility to Alternaria porri. Plant Dis. 67:284–286.Google Scholar
39.Misra, A. P. 1973. Helminthosporium species occurring on cereals and other Gramineae. Tirhut College Agriculture, Bihar, India.Google Scholar
40.Nelson, P. E., Toussoun, T. A., and Cook, R. J.. 1981. Fusarium: diseases, biology, and taxonomy. Penn. State Univ. Press, University Park, PA.Google Scholar
41.Ostazeski, S. A. and Bever, W. M.. 1955. The microflora of stored and field-collected oats. Plant Dis. Rptr. 39:591–596.Google Scholar
42.Parker, D. T. 1962. Decomposition in the field of buried and surface-applied cornstalk residue. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 26:559–562.Google Scholar
43.Parkinson, D. and Waid, J. S.. 1960. The ecology of soil fungi. Liverpool Univ. Press, Liverpool, U.K.Google Scholar
44.Parr, J. F. and Papendick, R. I.. 1978. Factors affecting the decomposition of crop residues by microorganisms, pp. 101–129. In: Oschwald, W. R. (ed.) Crop Residue Management Systems. ASA Special Publication No. 31. American Society Agronomy, Madison, WI.Google Scholar
45.Parr, J. F. and Reuszer, H. W.. 1959. Organic matter decomposition as influenced by oxygen level and method of application to soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 23:214–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
46.Preece, T. F. and Dickinson, C. H.. 1971. Ecology of leaf surface micro-organisms. Academic Press, New York, NY.Google Scholar
47.Pugh, G. J. F. and Mulder, J. L.. 1971. Mycoflora associated with Typha latifolia. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 57:273–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
48.Ritchie, J. C. and Follett, R. F.. 1983. Conservation tillage: Where to from here? J. Soil and Water Conservation 38:267–269.Google Scholar
49.Rotem, J. 1981. Fungal diseases of potato and tomato in the Negev desert. Plant Dis. 65:315–318.Google Scholar
50.Sauer, D. B., Storey, C. L., Ecker, O., and Fulk, D. W.. 1982. Fungi in U.S. export wheat and corn. Phytopathology 72:1449–1452.Google Scholar
51.Shane, W. W., Baumer, J. S., and Sederstrom, S. G.. 1981. Alternaria helianthi: a pathogen of sunflower new to Minnesota. Plant Dis. 65:269–271.Google Scholar
52.Shurtleff, M. C. (ed.) 1980. Compendium of corndiseases. 2nd ed.American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.Google Scholar
53.Simpson, M. E. and Marsh, P. B.. 1983. Recent advances in microbiology relevant to byssinosis. II. The fungi, pp. 49–52. In: Wakelyn, P. J. and Jacobs, R. R. (eds.) Proc. Seventh Cotton Dust Research Conference. National Cotton Council, Memphis, TN.Google Scholar
54.Susuri, L., Hagedorn, D. J., and Rand, R. E.. 1982. Alternaria blight of pea. Plant Dis. 66:328–330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
55.Tint, H. 1945. Studies in the Fusarium damping-off of conifers. III. Relation of temperature and sunlight to pathogenicity of Fusarium. Phytopathology 35:498–510.Google Scholar
56.Togashi, K. 1949. Biological characters of plant pathogens, temperature relations. Meibundo, Tokyo, Japan.Google Scholar
57.Tsuneda, A. and Skoropad, W. P.. 1978. Phylloplane fungal flora of rapeseed. Tran. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 70:329–333.Google Scholar
58.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1980. Report and recommendations on organic farming. Washington, DC.Google Scholar
59.Walker, J. C. 1969. Plant Pathology. 3rd ed.McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.Google Scholar
60.Windels, C. E., and Kommedahl, T.. 1984. Late season colonization and survival of Fusarium graminearum Group II in cornstalks in Minnesota. Plant Dis. 68:791–793.Google Scholar
61.Zillinsky, F. J. 1983. Common diseases of small grain cereals. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico, D.F., Mexico.Google Scholar