Physiological factors determining vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal formation in host and nonhost Ri T-DNA transformed roots

Abstract

Transformed roots of carrot (Umbelliferae) and sugar beet (Chenopodiaceae) were used as model host and nonhost plant, respectively, for the vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora margarita (Becker & Hall). Rapid growth of hyphae from germinating spores of G. margarita and formation of infection units were obtained only in the presence of carrot roots. Root volatiles from both plant species have similar stimulative effects on hyphal growth. However, hyphal growth was stimulated by root exudates of carrot and not by those of sugar beet. These and other results suggest that the nonmycorrhizal roots of sugar beet lack factors that promote mycorrhizal infection rather than producing inhibitory factors. The model used in this study is especially appropriate for further investigations on the recognition mechanisms involved in vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal associations.