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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323503
Title: Selection of fungi by candidate cover crops

Author
item Benitez Ponce, Maria
item TAHERI, WENDY - Former ARS Employee
item Lehman, R - Michael

Submitted to: Applied Soil Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2016
Publication Date: 3/29/2016
Citation: Benitez Ponce, M.S., Taheri, W.I., Lehman, R.M. 2016. Selection of fungi by candidate cover crops. Applied Soil Ecology. 103:72-82.

Interpretive Summary: Diversified cropping systems that incorporate year-round ground cover, are known to maintain healthy soils. Information is available for producers regarding the benefits of specific cover crop species for soil fertility, weed and pest management. Even though it is widely recognized that cover crops promote microbial biomass and activity, the specific responses of particular microbial groups to potential cover crop treatments are yet to be understood. Hence, we describe fungal communities associated to roots of four putative cover crop species (Hairy Vetch, Crimson Clover, forage Oat, and Spring Wheat) grown in a species-rich soil inoculum originating from a prairie remnant. We analyzed total fungal community composition using amplicon pyrosequencing of universal fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF) -specific ribosomal markers from total DNA of root extracts. Fungal communities enriched by each cover species are distinct from each other. Individual cover crops, in particular vetch and wheat, recover greater fungal and AMF diversity, enriching for particular taxonomic groups. From a fungal perspective, the direct benefits of the cover crop species in the cash crop will relate to the life history characteristics of fungal communities preferentially colonizing each cover crop host. This research is foundational in terms of describing the nature of soil biological changes resulting from cover crops so that these changes can be related to condition and performance of the subsequent cash crop.

Technical Abstract: Diversified cropping systems that incorporate year-round ground cover, are known to maintain healthy soils. Information is available for producers regarding the benefits of specific cover crop species for soil fertility, weed and pest management. Even though it is widely recognized that cover crops promote microbial biomass and activity, the specific responses of particular microbial groups to potential cover crop treatments are yet to be understood. Hence, we describe fungal communities associated to roots of four putative cover crop species (forage oat Everleaf 126 (Avena sativa), Briggs hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivium), Hairy vetch (Nebraska strain, Vicia villosa) and Dixie Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum)) grown in a species-rich soil inoculum originating from a prairie remnant. We analyzed total fungal community composition using amplicon pyrosequencing of universal fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF) -specific ribosomal markers from total DNA of root extracts. Fungal communities enriched by each cover species are distinct from each other. Individual cover crops, in particular vetch and wheat, recover greater fungal and AMF diversity, enriching for particular taxonomic groups. For instance, using fungal specific markers, greater proportion of Sordariomycetes are recovered from wheat roots, mainly represented by the families Lasiosphaeriaceae, Magnaporthaceae and the order Pleosporales; whereas vetch recovered greater abundance of Hypocreales-like sequences, highly represented by the genus Ilyonectria. Within AMF differences in taxa recovery are between the Glomerales and Diversisporales, where wheat roots were colonized in higher proportion by taxa within Glomeraceae, whereas vetch, by taxa within Diversisporales, Acaulospora in particular. From a fungal perspective, the direct benefits of the cover crop species in the cash crop will relate to the life history characteristics of fungal communities preferentially colonizing each cover crop host.