Abstract
Background and aims
The amount and type of root exudates can influence P availability in the rhizosphere directly by desorption or dissolution of soil minerals, or indirectly by decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM). This study aimed to determine the mechanisms by which specific root exudates influence the distribution and availability of P in soils with low P availability.
Methods
Water, glucose, alanine, and oxalate were delivered through a simulated root into soils for 15 days. Zymography and planar optodes were used to image potential phosphatase activity, and O2 and pH distribution, respectively. Soils were analyzed for resin extractable inorganic P (Pi), dissolved organic C (DOC), water soluble Fe, and Al, and microbial community structure. Characterization of SOM and P were conducted using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry and 31P solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), respectively.
Results
The addition of oxalate resulted in the greatest resin extractable Pi, DOC, and water-soluble Fe, and Al compared to the other exudates suggesting destabilization of mineral associated organic matter (MAOM) and release of organic P (Po). Both 31P solution NMR and ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry analysis provided evidence of mineralization of Po released from the destabilization of MAOM.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates the important role microbial and plant-derived metal chelating ligands play in destabilizing MAOM, releasing SOM and importantly Po, that when mineralized may contribute to increasing Pi availability in soils with low P availability.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- SOM:
-
Soil organic matter
- Pi :
-
Inorganic P
- DOC:
-
Dissolved organic C
- NMR:
-
Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Po :
-
Organic P
- MAOM:
-
Mineral associated organic matter
- LMW:
-
Low molecular weight
- CUE:
-
Carbon use efficiency
- IHP:
-
Myo-inositolhexakisphosphate
- RNA:
-
Ribonucleic acid
- DNA:
-
Deoxyribonucleic acid
- WEOM:
-
Water extractable organic matter
- PLFA:
-
Phospholipid fatty acid
- AM:
-
Arbuscular mycorrhizal
- G + :
-
Gram positive
- G-:
-
Gram negative
- MRPP:
-
Multi-response permutation procedure
- OM:
-
Organic matter
- FTICR MS:
-
Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
- PCA:
-
Principle component analysis
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Acknowledgements
We thank Joe Kupper, James W. Morris, and Martin Vandiviere for their help with soil sampling and analysis.
Funding
This work was supported in part by NIFA-AFRI award # 2016-67019-25281. A portion of this research was performed on a project award (https://doi.org/10.46936/genr.proj.2017.50047/60006261) from the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility sponsored by the Biological and Environmental Research program under Contract No. DE-AC05-76RL01830.
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The study was conceptualized and designed by Sunendra R. Joshi and David H. McNear Jr. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Sunendra R. Joshi, David H. McNear Jr., Robert P. Young, and Malak M. Tfaily. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Sunendra R. Joshi with all authors providing review and comments. All authors read and approved of the manuscript.
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Joshi, S.R., Tfaily, M.M., Young, R.P. et al. Root exudates induced coupled carbon and phosphorus cycling in a soil with low phosphorus availability. Plant Soil 498, 371–390 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06442-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06442-4