Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xfwgj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-23T12:06:33.600Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Some nutritional aspects of the biology of ericaceous mycorrhizas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

D. J. Read  and
R. Bajwa
D. J. Read
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN
R. Bajwa
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN
Get access

Synopsis

Some aspects of the role of the ericoid mycorrhizal symbiosis in the ecology and physiology of ericaceous plants are described. Mycorrhizal infection leads to enhancement of plant nitrogen content and an experimental analysis of the basis of this effect is reported. In addition to improving the efficiency of ammonium absorption at low concentrations, the mycorrhizal endophyte utilises amino acids, peptides and proteins as nitrogen substrates for growth. These are the predominant nitrogen sources in organic heathland soil. It is suggested that the success of ericaceous plants in such soils may arise through the capacity of the mycorrhizal fungus to provide its host with access to this nutrient resource. A model is described in which absorption of ammonium and amino nitrogen leads to soil acidification, increased acid protease activity and improved vigour of the ericaceous plants.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 85 , Issue 3-4: Symbiosis and Plant Nutrition , 1985 , pp. 317 - 331
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1985

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

Bajwa, R. and Read, D. J. The biology of the mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae XI Utilisation of peptides and proteins by the endophyte and by mycorrhizal seedlings. New Phytol. (in press).Google Scholar
Bannister, P. and Norton, W. M. 1974. The response of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal rooted cuttings of heather (Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull) to variations in nutrient and water regimes. New Phytol. 73, 81–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berdal, B. P., Olsvik, O., Myhre, S. and Omland, T. 1982. Demonstration of intracellular chymotrypsimlike activity from various Legionella species. J. Clin. Microbiol. 16, 452–459.Google Scholar
Bradley, R., Burt, A. J. and Read, D. J. 1982. The biology of mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae. VIII. The role of mycorrhizal infection in heavy metal resistance. New Phytol. 91, 197–201.Google Scholar
Brook, J. P. 1952. Mycorrhiza of Pernettya macrostigma. New Phytol. 51, 388–397.Google Scholar
Burgeff, H. 1961. Mikrobiologie des Hochmoores. Stuttgart: Fischer.Google Scholar
Cheng, H. H. and Kurtz, L. T. 1963. Chemical distribution of added nitrogen in soils. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 27, 312–322.Google Scholar
Cohen, B. L. 1972. Ammonium repression of extracellular protease in Aspergillus nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 71, 293–299.Google Scholar
Cohen, B. L. 1973. Regulation of intracellular and extracellular neutral and alkaline proteases in Aspergillus nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 79, 311–320.Google Scholar
Dadd, C. C., Fowden, L. and Pearsall, W. H. 1953. An investigation of free amino acids in organic soil types using paper partition chromatography. J. Soil Sci. 4, 69–71.Google Scholar
Drucker, H. 1972. Regulation of exocellular proteases in Neurospora crassa: Induction and repression of enzyme synthesis. J. Bad. 110, 1041–1049.Google Scholar
Drucker, H. 1975. Regulation of exocellular proteases in Neurospora crassa: Metabolic requirements of the process. J. Bad. 122, 1117–1125.Google Scholar
Duddridge, J. A. and Read, D. J. 1982. An ultrastructural analysis of the development of mycorrhizas in Rhododendron ponticum. Can. J. Bot. 60, 2345–2356.Google Scholar
Freisleben, R. 1934. Zur Frage der Mykotrophie in der Gattung Vaccinium L. Jb. Wiss. Bot. 80, 421–456.Google Scholar
Freisleben, R. 1936. Weiterer Untersuchungen über die Mykotrophie der Ericaceeen. Jb. Wiss. Bot. 82, 413–459.Google Scholar
Grubb, P. J. and Suter, M. B. 1971. The mechanism of acidification of soil by Calluna and Ulex and the significance for conservation. In The Scientific Management of Animal and Plant Communities for Conservation, ed. Duffey, E. and Watt, A. S., pp. 115–133. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Grubb, P. J., Green, H. E. and Merrifield, R. C. J. 1969. The ecology of chalk heath: its relevance to the calcicole-calcifuge and soil acidification problems. J. Ecol. 57, 175–212.Google Scholar
Harley, J. L. 1969. The Biology of Mycorrhiza. London: Leonard Hill.Google Scholar
Harley, J. L. and Smith, S. E. 1983. Mycorrhizal Symbiosis. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Hewitt, E. J. 1966. Sand and water culture methods used in the study of plant nutrition. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau Technical Communication 22. Farnham Royal, England.Google Scholar
Jalal, M. A. F., Read, D. J. and Haslam, E. 1982. Phenolic composition and its seasonal variation in Calluna vulgaris. Phytochemistry 21, 1397–1401.Google Scholar
Kowalenko, C. G. 1978. Organic nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur in soils. In Soil Organic Matter, ed. Schitzer, M. and Khan, S., pp. 95–136. (Developments in Soil Science 8). Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co.Google Scholar
Labroue, L. and Carles, J. 1977. Le cycle de l'azote dans les sols alpins du Pic du Midi de Bigorre. Oecol. Plant. 12, 55–77.Google Scholar
Ladd, J. N. and Butler, J. H. A. 1967. Release of amino acids from soil humic acids by proteolytic enzymes. Aust. J. Soil Res. 5, 161–171.Google Scholar
Morrison, T. M. 1957. Host endophyte relationship in mycorrhiza of Pernettya macrostigma. New Phytol. 56, 247–257.Google Scholar
Paul, E. A. and Schmidt, E. L. 1960. Extraction of free amino acids from soil. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 25, 195–198.Google Scholar
Payne, J. W. and Gilvarg, C. 1978. Transport of peptides in bacteria. In Bacterial Transport, ed. Rosen, B. P., pp. 325 383. New York: Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
Pearson, V. and Read, D. J. 1975. The physiology of the mycorrhizal endophyte of Calluna vulgaris. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 64, 1–7.Google Scholar
Persson, H. 1983. The distribution and productivity of fine roots in boreal forests. Pl. Soil, 71, 87 101.Google Scholar
Powell, C. L. 1982. The effect of the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Pezizella ericae (Read) on the growth and nutrition of seedlings of blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum. J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 107, 1012–1015.Google Scholar
Ramstedt, M. and Söderhäll, K. 1983. Protease, phenoloxidase and pectinase activities in mycorrhizal fungi. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 157–161.Google Scholar
Read, D. J. 1974. Pezizella ericae sp. nov., the perfect state of a typical mycorrhizal endophyte of the Ericaceae. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 63, 381–383.Google Scholar
Read, D. J. 1983. The biology of mycorrhiza in the Ericales. Can. J. Bot. 61, 958–1004.Google Scholar
Read, D. J. 1984. Interactions between ericaceous plants and their competitors with special reference to soil toxicity. In Weed control and vegetation management in forests and amenity areas. Aspects of Applied Biology 5, pp. 195 209. Wellesbourne, U.K.: Association of Applied Biologists.Google Scholar
Read, D. J. and Stribley, D. P. 1973. Effect of mycorrhizal infection on nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition of ericaceous plants. Nature, Lond. 244, 81.Google Scholar
Singh, K. G. 1974. Mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae with special reference to Calluna vulgaris. Svensk Bot. Tidskr. 68, 1–16.Google Scholar
Sowden, F. J. 1977. Distribution of nitrogen in representative Canadian soils. Can.J. Soil Sci. 57, 445–456.Google Scholar
Stephenson, F. J. 1982. Humus Chemistry. New York: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Stribley, D. P. and Read, D. J. 1974. The biology of mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae. IV. The effect of mycorrhizal infection on uptake of 15N from labelled soil by Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. New Phvtol. 73, 1149 1155.Google Scholar
Stribley, D. P. and Read, D. J. 1976. The biology of mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae. VI. The effects of mycorrhizal infection and concentration of ammonium nitrogen on growth of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) in sand culture. New Phytol. 11, 63–72.Google Scholar
Stribley, D. P. and Read, D. J. 1980. The biology of mycorrhiza in the Ericaceae. VII. The relationship between mycorrhizal infection and the capacity to utilize simple and complex organic nitrogen source. New Phytol. 86, 365–371.Google Scholar
Vogel, H. J. 1964. Distribution of lysine pathways among fungi: evolutionary implications. Am. Nat. 98, 435 446.Google Scholar
Wolfinbarger, L. 1980. Transport and utilization of peptides by fungi. In Micro-organisms and Nitrogen Sources, ed. Payne, J. W., pp. 281–300. London: John Wiley.Google Scholar