Progress 06/09/01 to 05/17/06
Outputs
Progress Report 1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? This project addresses the impact of soil microbes on soil quality and agricultural sustainability. Human existence depends on the ability of a limited amount of land to provide food and fiber. The extent of soil degradation and erosion at a global scale is severe. Soil degradation was estimated to be affecting about 35 percent of cropland in 1984 and 38 percent in 1990. The African Sahel is a prime example of land degradation caused by intensive agriculture and soil erosion that forced migration of the populace to more fertile areas. Such migrations are no longer a solution, so dedicated land stewardship is essential for people in developed and developing nations. Microbial communities perform essential ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling, pathogen suppression, stabilization
of soil aggregates, and degradation of xenobiotics. This project addresses four objectives: 1) develop improved methods to characterize soil microbial communities; 2) study the interactions between soil, root, seed, and microbial communities and develop strategies to improve colonization of root and seed by beneficial microorganisms; 3)define the structure of glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by mycorrhiza that stabilizes soil aggregates; and 4) determine the effects of management practices on mycorrhiza and glomalin, and the effects of glomalin and mycorrhiza on soil chemical and physical properties. The approaches we are applying to resolve these problems are aligned with National Program 202, Soil Resource Management, particularly Component IV, Soil Biology. Our approach for objective 1 is to develop new methods for fatty acid identification of microbes that are more sensitive and faster than previous methods, to develop new DNA primers for specific phylogenetic groups of soil
bacteria, and to develop new methods for analysis of microbial community DNA. For objective 2 our approach is to analyze seed and root exudates that provide nutrients for rhizosphere microbes, to analyze rhizosphere microbial communities from growth chamber experiments using different plant species and soil types, and to analyze soil microbial communities from different field sites using different agricultural management systems. Our approach for objective 3 is to characterize glomalin by electrophoresis, amino acid and carbohydrate analysis, and spectroscopic methods including proton and C-13 NMR. For objective 4 our approach is to measure aggregate stability and and quantify glomalin from a variety of field sites using different agricultural management systems. 2. List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) 9/02 Complete research on fatty acid analysis of substrate utilization assays. Complete analysis of seed exudates. Structural studies of
glomalin initiated. Research on management and host influences on glomalin initiated. 12/03 Complete development of new assay for anaerobes. Complete analysis of microbial communities at LTRAS, U.C. Davis. Research on management influences on glomalin continued through 3 years of sampling. Research on host influences on glomalin completed. 3/05 Complete development of new assay for chemolithotrophs. Complete analysis of rhizosphere exudates. Analysis of glomalin composition completed. Research on management influences on glomalin completed. 6/06 Submit manuscript on new assays. Complete data analysis of LTRAS study. Sorption studies on glomalin completed. 4a List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. Soil microbial communities are influenced by soil mulching materials. Vegetable production in a minimum-tillage, cover crop based system can provide a sustainable alternative to production with conventional tillage and black polyethylene mulch, however,
little is known about mulching effects on soil microbial populations and implications for soil quality. In this research, soil microbial profiles were analyzed in several tomato production systems that employed selected organic soil amendments under black polyethylene or hairy vetch cover crop mulches. Soil microbial communities were different in hairy vetch than black poly mulches but were not affected by amendments. These results have provided a basis for future research to better understand the impact of soil mulching materials on soil microbial populations and crop responses. 4d Progress report. Progress was made in defining the structure of glomalin. Glomalin is a major component of soil organic matter. Analysis of the structure of glomalin is needed to complete the definition of this material. Gel filtration was used to separate components of extracts of glomalin. Analysis of isolated components will be possible. 5. Describe the major accomplishments to date and their
predicted or actual impact. A rapid and sensitive method for identifying bacteria by fatty acid analysis. Fatty acid analysis is used to identify bacteria in clinical and environmental laboratories, but current methods are slow and insensitive. A new method was developed that is three times faster and twenty times more sensitive, permitting the identification of bacteria in less time from much smaller samples. This work may be useful in epidemics or bioterrorism events. Glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, is important for soil aggregate stability and sequestration of C, N and potentially toxic elements in soils. The impact of glomalin on soil organic matter studies is substantial because glomalin is a major component of soil organic matter, can be extracted and studied as a defined substance separate from heterogeneous humic substances, and production can be enhanced in agroecosystems. Customers are farmers and professions who study or deal with
soils. Genetically engineered crops are widely planted yet little is known about their effects on soil and rhizosphere microbial ecology. Corn engineered to produce endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt corn) was grown in microcosm and field experiments and microbial community analysis was performed. The microbial community under Bt corn was not significantly different from that under the parent corn lines. This suggests that under these experimental conditions Bt corn has little impact on soil microbiology.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Nichols, K.A., Wright, S.E. 2006. Comparision of glomalin and humic acid in eight native u.s. soils. Soil Science. 170(12):985-997.
- Buyer, J.S. 2006. Fast gc for cellular fame analysis of bacteria. In: Mossoba, M.M., Brenna, J.T., McDonald, R.E., editors. Lipid Analysis and Lipidomics. New Techniques and Applications for Lipid Analysis. Champaign, IL: AOCS Press. p. 271-283.
- Buyer, J.S. 2006. Rapid and sensitive fame analysis of bacteria by cold trap injection gas chromatography. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 67:187-190.
- Wright, S.E., Nichols, K.A., Schmidt, W.F. 2006. Comparison of efficacy of three extractants to solubilize glomalin on hyphae and in soil. Chemosphere. 64(7):1219-1224.
- Blackwood, C.B., Oaks, A., Buyer, J.S. 2005. Phylum and class specific PCR primers for general microbial community analysis. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 71:6193-6198.
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? This project addresses the impact of soil microbes on soil quality and agricultural sustainability. Human existence depends on the ability of a limited amount of land to provide food and fiber. The extent of soil degradation and erosion at a global scale is severe. Soil degradation was estimated to be affecting about 35 percent of cropland in 1984 and 38 percent in 1990. The African Sahel is a prime example of land degradation caused by intensive agriculture and soil erosion that forced migration of the populace to more fertile areas. Such migrations are no longer a solution, so dedicated land stewardship is essential for people in developed and developing nations. Microbial communities perform essential ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling, pathogen suppression, stabilization of soil
aggregates, and degradation of xenobiotics. This project addresses four objectives: 1) develop improved methods to characterize soil microbial communities; 2) study the interactions between soil, root, seed, and microbial communities and develop strategies to improve colonization of root and seed by beneficial microorganisms; 3) define the structure of glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by mycorrhiza that stabilizes soil aggregates; and 4) determine the effects of management practices on mycorrhiza and glomalin, and the effects of glomalin and mycorrhiza on soil chemical and physical properties. The approaches we are applying to resolve these problems are aligned with National Program 202, Soil Resource Management, particularly Component IV, Soil Biology. Our approach for objective 1 is to develop new methods for fatty acid identification of microbes that are more sensitive and faster than previous methods, to develop new DNA primers for specific phylogenetic groups of soil bacteria,
and to develop new methods for analysis of microbial community DNA. For objective 2 our approach is to analyze seed and root exudates that provide nutrients for rhizosphere microbes, to analyze rhizosphere microbial communities from growth chamber experiments using different plant species and soil types, and to analyze soil microbial communities from different field sites using different agricultural management systems. Our approach for objective 3 is to characterize glomalin by electrophoresis, amino acid and carbohydrate analysis, and spectroscopic methods including proton and C-13 NMR. For objective 4 our approach is to measure aggregate stability and and quantify glomalin from a variety of field sites using different agricultural management systems. 2. List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. 9/02 Complete research on fatty acid analysis of substrate utilization assays. Complete analysis of seed exudates. Structural studies of glomalin initiated.
Research on management and host influences on glomalin initiated. 12/03 Complete development of new assay for anaerobes. Complete analysis of microbial communities at LTRAS, U.C. Davis. Research on management influences on glomalin continued through 3 years of sampling. Research on host influences on glomalin completed. 3/05 Complete development of new assay for chemolithotrophs. Complete analysis of rhizosphere exudates. Analysis of glomalin composition completed. Research on management influences on glomalin completed. 6/06 Submit manuscript on new assays. Complete data analysis of LTRAS study. Sorption studies on glomalin completed. 3a List the milestones that were scheduled to be addressed in FY 2005. For each milestone, indicate the status: fully met, substantially met, or not met. If not met, why. 1. Develop a new assay for chemolithotrophs in soil. Milestone Fully Met 2. Analyze rhizosphere exudate. Milestone Fully Met 3. Study glomalin composition. Milestone
Substantially Met 4. Study management influences on glomalin. Milestone Fully Met 3b List the milestones that you expect to address over the next 3 years (FY 2006, 2007, and 2008). What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years under each milestone? Field and laboratory studies involving the impact of Bt corn on microbial communities will be largely completed during FY 2006. A manuscript on the new assay for various phylogenetic groups in soil will be completed and submitted. Structural studies of glomalin will be conducted for the next three years. 4a What was the single most significant accomplishment this past year? A rapid and sensitive method for identifying bacteria by fatty acid analysis. Fatty acid analysis is used to identify bacteria in clinical and environmental laboratories, but current methods are slow and insensitive. A new method is three times faster and twenty times more sensitive, permitting the identification of bacteria in less time from
much smaller samples. This work may be useful in epidemics or bioterrorism events. 4d Progress report. Progress was made in defining the structure of glomalin. Glomalin is a major component of soil organic matter. Analysis of the structure of glomalin is needed to complete the definition of this material. Gel filtration was used to separate components of extracts of glomalin. Analysis of isolated components will be possible. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. Glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, is important for soil aggregate stability and sequestration of C, N and potentially toxic elements in soils. The impact of glomalin on soil organic matter studies is substantial because glomalin is a major component of soil organic matter, can be extracted and studied as a defined substance separate from heterogeneous humic substances, and production can be enhanced in
agroecosystems. Customers are farmers and professions who study or deal with soils. Genetically engineered crops are widely planted yet little is known about their effects on soil and rhizosphere microbial ecology. Corn engineered to produce endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt corn) was grown in microcosm and field experiments and microbial community analysis was performed. The microbial community under Bt corn was not significantly different from that under the parent corn lines. This suggests that under these experimental conditions Bt corn has little impact on soil microbiology. 6. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Approximately 1,500 farmers in Australia were introduced to glomalin in talks to three organizations of no-till
farmers. The concept of monitoring glomalin levels as a measure of soil health was discussed. Glomalin analysis was set up in a laboratory at the University of Queensland, Australia. Protocols for sampling will be developed and soils will be analyzed on a fee-for-service basis.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Pikul Jr, J.L., Johnson, J.M., Wright, S.E., Caesar, T., Ellsbury, M.M. 2005. Soil organic matter and aggregate stability affected by tillage. E.A. Ghabbour and G. Davies (eds) Humic Substances: Molecular Details and Applications in Land and Water Conservation. Taylor and Francis, Inc. New York. p. 243-258.
- Stahl, P.D., Schuman, G.E., Ingram, L.J., Buyer, J.S., Ganjegunte, G.K., Vance, G.F., Welker, J.M. 2004. Influence of grazing treatments on soil microbial community structure in a northern mixed grass prairie [abstract]. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting Abstracts [CDROM]. No. 4140.
- Blackwood, C.B., Oaks, A., Dively, G., Buyer, J.S. 2004. Impact of Bt corn on soil and rhizosphere microbial communities [abstract]. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting Abstracts [CDROM}. No. 5240.
- Buyer, J.S., Blackwood, C.B. 2004. The effects of Bt Corn on Soil and Rhizosphere Microbial Communities [abstract]. 8th International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms. September 26-30, 2004. Montpellier, France. p. 216-220.
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? Land productivity, along with improvement or maintenance of soil health, must be evaluated together to achieve sustainable agricultural practices. Soil microbial communities are poorly understood, yet critically important to soil health. New techniques are being developed and applied to various agricultural ecosystems in order to better understand the dynamics of soil microbial communities and their relationship to soil quality. Management of soils to improve soil quality involves an understanding of biological contributions leading to changes in stability and structure. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi produce copious amounts of an insoluble glycoprotein, glomalin. To use glomalin concentration as a specific assessment of soil quality and management impacts on soil, it is necessary to relate concentrations of this molecule to increases in aggregate stability over time. The impact of
artificial climate warming and differences among plant species were assessed in relation to glomalin and soil aggregate stability. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? Human existence depends on the ability of a limited amount of land to provide food and fiber. The extent of soil degradation and erosion at a global scale is severe. Soil degradation was estimated to be affecting about 35 percent of cropland in 1984 and 38 percent in 1990. The African Sahel is a prime example of land degradation caused by intensive agriculture and soil erosion that forced migration of the populace to more fertile areas. Such migrations are no longer a solution, so dedicated land stewardship is essential for people in developed and developing nations. 3. How does it relate to the National Program(s) and National Program Component(s) to which it has been assigned? Our research on microbial communities in the rhizosphere and in soil from different management systems supports NP202, 4-1 Soil
Ecology: 4-1-1 Understand the ecological characteristics and processes of soil/root biota, 4-1-2 Understand the biological and ecological manipulations of soil organisms and processes, 4-1-3 Develop improved methods to identify and characterize soil biota populations and their activities. Our research on glomalin supports NP 202, 4-3 Interactions between soil management and soil biota: 4-3-2 Determine the role of soil biota in interactions with soil chemical and physical processes. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single most significant accomplishment during FY 2003. Genetically engineered crops are widely planted yet little is known about their effects on soil and rhizosphere microbial ecology. Corn engineered to produce endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt corn) was grown in microcosms and microbial community analysis was performed by Jeffrey Buyer and Christopher Blackwood (USDA-ARS-BARC). The microbial community under two cultivars of Bt
corn was not significantly different from that under the parent corn lines. This suggests that under these experimental conditions Bt corn has no impact on the soil ecosystem. B. Other significant accomplishments, if any. Defining what is needed to develop biochemical and genetic probes to identify arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in situ (NP202 4-3) will lead to better management practices to enhance soil stability. This was addressed in an invited review article by Patricia Millner (USDA-ARS-BARC) and Sara Wright (USDA-ARS-BARC). There is an immediate need for multidisciplinary approaches to develop genetic probes that can be used in innovative ways. The impact will be basic information on ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that is necessary to understand how to manage these fungi to improve soils. C. Significant accomplishments/activities that support special target populations. None. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or
actual impact. Discovered that soil was the most important variable controlling the overall microbial community and contributing to differences in the fungal community and that the type of plant species had a strong effect on the rapidly growing bacteria, but not on fungi or the overall community. Thus, well-known effects of the plant rhizosphere on microbial populations are due to only rapidly growing aerobic bacteria, but the rhizosphere may have little or no effect on the overall microbial community. The quantity of glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungae, is more important than the amount of AM fungal hyphae for soil aggregate stability. This suggests that glomalin is involved in a very important hypha-mediated mechanism of soil aggregate stabilization. Additionally, it has been shown that ecosystem warming effects on soil carbon storage and erosion need to consider stimulation of carbon allocation to AM fungi and to glomalin along with
acceleration of glomalin decomposition. Invented procedures that tripled the speed and throughput of bacterial identification by fatty acid analysis with cooperation from MIDI, Inc., Newark, Delaware. These techniques may allow laboratories to identify far more bacteria in much less time, allowing for faster diagnoses in clinical laboratories and greater replication of field studies. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? The development of new PCR primers for the major phylogenetic groups of soil microorganisms will be accomplished during the next year. These primers will be applied to field and laboratory studies involving Bt corn, sustainable agricultural management systems, and the effects of soil texture on soil microbial community structure during the next three years. Ecological studies to explain turnover and accumulation of glomalin in the field will be the primary focus next three years. Different systems will be studied from rain forests
to managed crop land. Traps to measure inputs of glomalin and measures of hyphae will be developed over the next three years. 7. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? NRCS is using a brochure explaining glomalin in their soil quality workshops. Glomalin is included as a measure of soil quality in the Crop Sequence Calculator published by USDA-ARS in Mandan, ND. Eight graduate students at universities across the US are incorporating glomalin into their thesis work. Visiting scientist from the Philippines, Costa Rica, Scotland and Mexico are trained to analyze soils for glomalin and aggregate stability. Glomalin is incorporated into studies of a tropical rainforest belowground net productivity. Constraints on adoption and durability of the
technology are that analyses for glomalin require specialized laboratory equipment and trained personnel.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Buyer, J. S. The impact of Bt corn on soil and rhizosphere microbial communities. CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 2002. Abstract No. s03-buyer075539-Oral.
- Buyer, J. S. Rapid sample processing and fast gas chromatography for identification of bacteria by fatty acid analysis. Journal of Microbiology Methods. 2002. v. 51. p. 209-215.
- Buyer, J. S, Blackwood, C. B., Roberts, D. P., Paul, E. A. Microbial community structure and the rhizosphere effect. CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 2002. Abstract s03-buyer12344-Poster.
- Buyer, J. S., Roberts, D. P., Russek-Cohen, E. Soil and plant effects on microbial community structure. Canadian Journal of Microbiology. 2002. v. 48. p. 955-964.
- Millner, P. D., Wright, S. F. Tools for support of ecological research on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Symbiosis. 2002. v. 33. p. 101-123.
- Mummey, D. L., Stahl, P. D., Buyer, J. S. Microbial biomarkers as an indicator of ecosystem recovery following surface mine reclamation. Applied Soil Ecology. 2002. v. 21. p. 251-259.
- Mummey, D. L., Stahl, P. D., Buyer, J. S. Soil microbiological properties 20 years after surface mine reclamation: spatial analysis of reclaimed and undisturbed sites. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. v. 34. p. 1717-1725.
- Nichols, K., Wright, S., Schmidt, W., Cavigelli, M., Dzantor, L. Carbon contribution and characteristics of humid acid, fulvic acid, particulate organic matter, and glomalin in diverse ecosystems. Proceedings of Humic Substances: Nature's most versatile materials. 2002. International Humic Substances Society, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 2002. p. 365-367.
- Pikul, J. L, Jr., S. F. Wright, L. Jawson, M. E. Ellsbury. Concentration of soil carbon and glomalin affected by tillage in eastern South Dakota. Agronomy Society of America-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings. 2002. Abstract Pikul154957-Poster.
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Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? Land productivity, along with improvement or maintenance of soil health, must be evaluated together to achieve sustainable agricultural practices. Soil microbial communities are poorly understood, yet critically important to soil health. New techniques are being developed and applied to various agricultural ecosystems in order to better understand the dynamics of soil microbial communities and their relationship to soil quality. Management of soils to improve soil quality involves an understanding of biological contributions leading to changes in stability and structure. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi produce copious amounts of an insoluble glycoprotein, glomalin. To use glomalin to assess soil quality and management impacts on soil, it is necessary to relate concentrations of this molecule to increases in aggregate stability over time. The impact of artificial climate warming and
differences among plant species can be assessed in relation to glomalin and soil aggregate stability. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? Human existence depends on the ability of a limited amount of land to provide food and fiber. The extent of soil degradation and erosion at a global scale is severe. Soil degradation was estimated to be affecting about 35 percent of cropland in 1984 and 38 percent in 1990. The African Sahel is a prime example of land degradation caused by intensive agriculture and soil erosion that forced migration of the populace to more fertile areas. Such migrations are no longer a solution, so dedicated land stewardship is essential for people in developed and developing nations. 3. How does it relate to the national Program(s) and National Program Component(s) to which it has been assigned? Our research on microbial communities in the rhizosphere and in soil from different management systems supports NP202, 4-1 Soil Ecology: 4-1-1 Understand the
ecological characteristics and processes of soil/root biota, 4-1-2 Understand the biological and ecological manipulations of soil organisms and processes, 4-1-3 Develop improved methods to identify and characterize soil biota populations and their activities. Our research on glomalin supports NP 202, 4-3 Interactions between soil management and soil biota: 4-3-2 Determine the role of soil biota in interactions with soil chemical and physical processes. 4. What was your most significant accomplishment this past year? A. Single most significant accomplishment during FY 2002: Understanding the extent to which glomalin accumulates in natural ecosystems (NP202 4-3) will lead to better management of soils for this important constituent of organic matter. Interactions of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi with five different plant species was assessed on plots established by Valerie Eviner (U. California, Berkeley) by Matthias Rillig (U. Montana) and Sara Wright (USDA-ARS-BARC). The direct
effect of glomalin was much stronger than the direct effect of AM fungal hyphae. This suggests that glomalin is involved in a very important hypha- mediated mechanism of soil aggregate stabilization for the 1-2 mm size class of aggregates. B. Other significant accomplishments, if any: Identification of bacteria is a time-consuming but critical task heavily performed in clinical, veterinary, and agricultural research laboratories. We invented procedures to increase the speed of bacterial identification by fatty acid analysis with cooperation from MIDI, Inc., Newark, Delaware. We developed a sample preparation method and gas chromatographic technique that together triple the speed and throughput of the MIDI system. These techniques may allow laboratories to identify far more bacteria in much less time, allowing for faster diagnoses in clinical laboratories and greater replication of field studies. Understanding interactions between climate warming, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and
soil aggregate water stability (NP202 4-3) is necessary to determine the effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems. This was addressed by Matthias Rilling (U. Montana) and Sara Wright (USDA-ARS, BARC) by measuring glomalin, hyphal length and aggregate stability on artificially warmed compared with ambient temperature plots in a grassland. Ecosystem warming may have stimulated carbon allocation to AM fungi, but other factors (e.g. decomposition) were important in determining the role of AM fungi in soil aggregation. If widespread among terrestrial ecosystems, these changes could have important consequences for soil carbon storage and erosion in warmed climates. C. Significant accomplishments/activities that support special target populations: There are currently no specific items that meet this criteria. 5. Describe your major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact? Glomalin is a major part of soil organic matter and the
concentration in soils is affected by management and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide. Land stewardship will include management of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for maximum possible production of glomalin on a world wide basis. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? The carbohydrates and amino acids found in rhizosphere exudates of potential biocontrol agents will be analyzed during the first year. Rapid assays for total viable bacteria and fungi using fluorescence spectroscopy will be developed during this year. In the second and third years research on microplate assays for anaerobic and chemolithotrophic microbial communities in soil and rhizosphere will be conducted, as will identification of potential biocontrol agents for diseases of cucumber and for take-all disease of wheat. The molecular structure of glomalin will be characterized over the next three years. In the current year techniques will be employed to break down the molecule into
small subunits that can be analyzed for amino acids, oligosaccharides, and monosaccharides. In the next two years spectroscopy and sorption studies will show how iron and other ions interact with glomalin. 7. What technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the technology likely to become available to the end user (industry, farmer other scientist)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption durability of the technology? NRCS is using a brochure explaining glomalin in their soil quality workshops. Glomalin is included as a measure of soil quality in the Crop Sequence Calculator published by USDA-ARS in Mandan, ND. Eight graduate students at universities across the US are incorporating glomalin into their thesis work. Visiting scientist from the Philippines, Costa Rica, Scotland and Mexico are trained to analyze soils for glomalin and aggregate stability. Glomalin is incorporated into studies of a tropical rainforest belowground net productivity. Constraints on
adoption and durability of the technology are that analyses for glomalin require specialized laboratory equipment and trained personnel.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Buyer, J.S. Identification of bacteria from single colonies by fatty acid analysis. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 2002. v. 48. p. 259-265.
- Buyer, J.S. Rapid identification of bacteria by fatty acid analysis using fast gas chromatography. American Society for Microbiology. 2002. Abstract p. 100.
- Johnson, C.K., Drijber, R.A., Weinhold, B.J., Wright, S.F., Doran, J.W. Linking microbial-scale findings to farm-scale outcomes. CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 2001. Paper No. s06-johnson203241-P.
- Liebig, M.A., Wright, S., Jawson, L., Tanaka, D.L., Krupinsky, J.M., Merrill, S.D., Riese, R.E., Hendrickson, J.R. Dynamic cropping systems: Soil condition after diverse crops. CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 2001. Paper No. a08-liebig204314-P.
- Nichols, K.A., Wright, S.F., Schmidt, W.F., Simpson, A.J., Dzantor, E.K. Using NMR to distinguish unique components of humic substances. CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 2001. Paper No. s03- nichols190155-O.
- Rillig, M.C., Wright, S.F., Eviner, V.T. The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and glomalin in soil aggregation: compring effects of five plant species. Plant and Soil. 2002. v. 238. p. 325-333.
- Rillig, M.C., Wright, S.F., Shaw, M.R., Field, C.B. Artificial climate warming positively affects arbuscular mycorrhizae but decreases soil aggregate water stability in an annual grassland. Oikos. 2002. v. 97. p. 52-58.
- Royt, P.W., Honeychuck, R.V., Ravich, V., Ponnaluri, P., Pannell, L.K., Buyer, J.S., Chandhoke, V., Stalick, W.M., DeSesso, L.C., Donohue, S., Ghei, R., Relyea, J.D., Ruiz, R. 4-Hydroxy-2-nonylquinoline: A Novel Iron Chelator Isolated from a Bacterial Cell Membrane. Bioorganic Chemistry. 2001. v. 29. p. 387-397.
- Wright, S.F., Nichols, K.A., Jawson, L. Glomalin production by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 2001. Paper No. s03-wright092106-O.
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