Abstract Detail

Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Wangeline, Ami L. [1], Lindblom, Stormy D. [2], Valdez, J. Rodolfo [2], Reeves, F. Brent [2], Pilon-Smits, Elizabeth A.H. [3].

Characterization of rhizosphere fungi from selenium hyperaccumulator and non-hyperaccumulator plants along the Eastern Rocky Mountain Front Range.

Selenium (Se) hyperaccumulator plants can store large amounts of Se (over 1% dry weight) in their tissues, despite the toxicity of this element at high concentrations across eukaryotes. This study examines fungal rhizosphere flora of Se hyperaccumulators and non-accumulators, to evaluate fungal distribution, rhizospheric fungal diversity and fungal Se tolerance. Rhizosphere fungi were isolated from Se hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plant species collected from five sites in Colorado and Wyoming; four seleniferous sites and one non-seleniferous site. 259 isolates were identified minimally to genus and evaluated for Se tolerance. Among the 24 represented genera, eleven comprised 86% of the isolates. The majority of isolates from the seleniferous sites were unaffected by 10 mg L^-1 Se, irrespective of host plant (hyperaccumulator vs. non-accumulator) while rhizosphere fungi from a control, non-seleniferous site were highly sensitive to Se at 10 mg L^-1 and as a group exhibited significantly lower (α = 0.05) tolerance when compared to the isolates from the seleniferous sites. Even though Se is a commonly used anti-fungal agent, these results suggest that rhizosphere fungi from seleniferous habitats have widespread Se tolerance, likely an adaptive advantage in their Se-rich habitat.

Broader Impacts:

1 - Laramie County Community College, Biology, 1400 E. College Drive, Cheyenne, WY, 82007, USA
2 - Colorado State University, Biology, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
3 - Colorado State University, Department of Biology, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A.

Keywords:
Selenium
rhizosphere
Filamentous fungi
Colorado
Wyoming
Alternaria
Astragalus
Fusarium
Stanleya
Tolerance.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Hall A/Convention Center
Date: Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PSB003
Abstract ID:376