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 Sunday July 24, 2005

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Russuloid Basidiomycete Fungi as Bio Indicators for Soil Quality

TheCan Caesar-TonThat

USDA-ARS, Sidney, Montana

 

COLLABORATORS:

 

Verlan Cochran Weilin Shelver R.G. Thorn
USDA-ARS USDA-ARS University of Wyoming
Sidney, Montana Fargo, North Dakota Laramie, WY

 

THE PROBLEM:

Photograph showing that on the left fungal amended soil aggregates are water stable and on the right the non amended aggregates are not water stable Dryland soil of the Northern Great Plains has lost, on average, about 50% of the original organic matter due to excessive tillage and summer fallow.

Recovery after changes in tillage and cropping practices will take many years due to the small amount of organic material returned each year.

Water infiltration, water retention, and plant nutrient reserves have declined.

 

THE GOAL:

Isolate and identify microorganisms that contribute to formation of water stable aggregates.  Then determine the tillage and crop rotations that promote microorganisms that enhance the formation of water stable aggregates.

 

 

APPROACH AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS:

Polyclonal antibodies were raised against specific soil aggregating fungi belonging to the russuloid clade of the class of Homobasidiomycetes from the phylum of the Basidiomycota.  Experiments on the water stability of artificial aggregates amended with fungal mycelia indicating that fungi belonging to the russuloid and the polyporoid clade are the most efficient soil stabilizers compared to species from the other clades of the homobasidiomycetes.

 

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the presence of these specific soil stabilizers in water stable aggregates from soil samples which were collected from different locations of dryland under different agricultural practices and also on soil samples from grass barrier strips that were undisturbed for thirty years.  Results suggested that soil aggregating basidiomycetes are sensitive to soil disturbance such as tillage. 

 

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH:

Immunological techniques using clade-specific antibodies can be used to quantify populations of fungi functioning to stabilize soil aggregates.  Such as the ELISA technique which has a potential use as an early indicator of changes in soil structure associated with soil quality.  Further testing using molecular techniques such as cloning, denaturing gel electrophoresis and sequencing are underway to characterize fungal species.

A series of three photos showing large amounts of polysaccharides secreted by a sapronphytic lignin decomposing basidiomycete that acts as soil binding agents

 Photograph of the phylogenetic relationship of the basidiomycetes which shows the position of the russuloid fungi clade

 

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