Evaluation of mechanisms of increasing soil quality via plant-microorganism interactions in a mine tail

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) which belongs to the kingdom of fungi is a symbiont of the roots of the plants. It provides water, macro and micro nutrients to its host, and takes photosynthetically derived sugars from the plant in return. In this research, the role of plant-mycorrhiza interaction on the remediation of the soil from a mine tailing area in Kütahya was evaluated, furthermore, the genetic mechanisms behind this remediation were highlighted. To assess the effect of mycorrhiza on plant growth, metal absorption by the plant, soil fertility and the expression of metal transporter genes, a greenhouse experiment was set up with Sorghum bicolor L. and Rhizophagus irregularis. Results showed that the mycorrhiza might positively affected the plant growth even at the germination stage and it increased mostly the root weight afterward. Metal absorption by the mycorrhizal roots was higher because of the increase in root growth and in the expression level of YSL-15 gene in roots. Root to shoot translocation was also higher in mycorrhizal plants. Additionally, the mycorrhiza induced the soil fertility to increase, but this was not due to the glomalin production. The results suggest that the expression and the production of glomalin might depend on the type and concentration of metals in the soil. In addition, further research should evaluate the phytoremediation application in Kütahya between June and August, since our results indicate that the symbiosis strongly depended on the temperature in the soil.