Environmental Sustainability

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Browsing Environmental Sustainability by Publisher "Oxford University Press (OUP)"

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    Atoxigenic isolates of Aspergillus flavus effectively reduce cyclopiazonic acid in a sorghum-based matrix under simulated abiotic stress conditions
    (Oxford University Press (OUP), 2025-05-15) Sharma, Vanshika; Cervini, Carla; Verheecke-Vaessen, Carol; Bandyopadhyay, Ranajit; Medina, Angel; Ortega-Beltran, Alejandro; Magan, Naresh
    Maize, groundnut, and sorghum are important staple crops in several countries, but are prone to mycotoxin contamination. In the tropics and subtropics, Aspergillus flavus frequently contaminates those crops with aflatoxins and, sometimes, with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). However, some genotypes cannot produce one or both toxins. In various countries, atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus are formulated into biocontrol products for field use to outcompete aflatoxin producers. The products effectively limit aflatoxin but their utility to reduce CPA remains unexplored. The abilities of four atoxigenic isolates (AF-) from Burkina Faso to control CPA by an isolate with high capacity to produce aflatoxins (AF+) and CPA was tested in co-inoculations at varying ratios (100+, 75+/25-, 50+/50-, 25+/75-, 100-), under simulated abiotic stress conditions. Experiments were conducted on 2% sorghum-based media at 0.95 and 0.90 water activity (aw), at 30°C and 37°C, for 12 days. CPA was quantified using LC-MS/MS. CPA concentrations gradually decreased as the proportion of atoxigenic isolates increased, with effectiveness varying depending on the environmental conditions.
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    Solidago canadensis modifies microbial community and soil physicochemical properties through litter leachates and root exudates
    (Oxford University Press (OUP), 2025-04) Bo, Yanwen; Liao, Yali; Pawlett, Mark; Akbar, Rasheed; Girkin, Nickolas T.; Sun, Jianfan; Ali, Amjad; Ahmad, Naushad; Liu, Wei; Wang, Xiaoyan; Du, Daolin
    Invasive plant inputs alter soil microbial communities via chemical compounds in litter, root exudates, and leachate, impacting a range of soil processes, but precise effects are poorly understood. We examined Solidago canadensis, a common invasive species in China, and its litter effects on soil microbial communities under natural conditions. Experimental treatments included S. canadensis seedling density (1 and 2 plants/pot) and quantity of litter (10 and 20 g/pot), with control groups that contained no plants or litter. After 120 days, soil samples were analyzed for physico-chemical properties, GC-MS chemical composition, and bacterial community composition using high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that S. canadensis seedlings and litter inputs increased soil pH, organic matter (SOM), and nitrogen (TN), while phosphorus and potassium remained unchanged. We identified 66 chemical compounds, predominantly ketones, alcohol, aldehyde, hydrocarbon, ester, acid, terpenoids, and alkaloids, associated with the presence of the invasive species, alongside shifts in dominant bacterial genera including Sphingomonas, Acidobacteriales, and Gemmatimonas. Rarer genera under the invasive treatment species, such as Candidatus, Rhodoplanes and Novosphingobium, correlated positively with soil TN, pH, and SOM. Collectively, our results demonstrate how the increased presence of allelochemicals from S. canadensis litter significantly impact soil properties and bacterial communities, and may therefore have implications for ecosystem dynamics.
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    Unlocking the agro-physiological potential of wheat rhizoplane fungi under low P conditions using a niche-conserved consortium approach
    (Oxford University Press (OUP), 2025-05-01) Benbrik, Brahim; Reid, Tessa E.; Nkir, Dounia; Chaouki, Hicham; Aallam, Yassine; Clark, Ian M.; Mauchline, Tim H.; Harris, Jim A.; Pawlett, Mark; Barakat, Abdellatif; Rchiad, Zineb; Bargaz, Adnane
    Plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) hold promise for enhancing crop yield. This study delves into the fungal diversity of the wheat rhizoplane across seven Moroccan agricultural regions, employing a niche-conserved strategy to construct fungal consortia (FC) exhibiting higher phosphorus (P) acquisition and plant growth promotion. This study combined culture-independent and culture-dependent methods exploring taxonomic and functional diversity in the rhizoplane of wheat plants obtained from 28 zones. Twenty fungal species from eight genera were isolated and confirmed through internal transcribed spacer (ITS) Sanger sequencing. P solubilization (PS) capacity was assessed for individual species, with Talaromyces sp. (F11) and Rhizopus arrhizus CMRC 585 (F12) exhibiting notable PS rates, potentially due to production of organic acids such as gluconic acid. PGPF traits and antagonism activities were considered when constructing 28 niche-conserved FC (using isolates from the same zone), seven intra-region FC (different zones within a region), and one inter-region FC. Under low P conditions, in planta inoculation with niche-conserved FC (notably FC14 and FC17) enhanced growth, physiological parameters, and P uptake of wheat, in both vegetative and reproductive stages. FC14 and FC17, composed of potent fungi such as F11 and F12, demonstrated superior plant growth benefits compared with intra- and inter-region constructed FC. Our study underscores the efficacy of the niche-conserved strategy in designing synthetic fungal community from isolates within the same niche, proving significant agro-physiological potential to enhance P uptake and plant growth of wheat.