Background and aimsUnderstanding the structures and functions of carbon-based molecules in soils is an important goal in the context of soils as an ecosystem function of immense importance. Polysaccharides are implicated in maintaining soil aggregate status but have not been extensively dissected in terms of their structures and soil adhesion properties. This is largely because of the technical difficulties in identifying polysaccharide structures and quantifying any functional properties.MethodsHere, we describe the use of a novel nitrocellulose-based adhesion assay to determine the relative capacities for soil adhesion of over twenty plant and microbial polysaccharides that are likely to be present in soil and to contribute to organic matter content and properties. Weights of soil adhered to spots of known amounts of specific polysaccharides were quantified by scanning of the nitrocellulose sheets.ResultsThe most effective polysaccharides identified from this survey included chitosan, β-1,3-glucan, gum tragacanth, xanthan and xyloglucan. We also demonstrate that the soil adhesion assay is suitable to assess the soil-binding properties of plant exudates.ConclusionsThe soil adhesion assay will be useful for the functional dissection of the organic matter components of soils and also of the factors involved in soil attachment to plant roots and in rhizosheath formation.

中文翻译：

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一种高通量筛选植物和微生物多糖和分泌物土壤粘附特性的定量方法

背景和目的了解土壤中碳基分子的结构和功能是土壤作为极其重要的生态系统功能背景下的一个重要目标。多糖与维持土壤团聚体状态有关，但在其结构和土壤粘附特性方面尚未得到广泛剖析。这主要是因为在识别多糖结构和量化任何功能特性方面存在技术困难。方法在这里，我们描述了使用一种新的基于硝化纤维素的粘附试验来确定超过 20 种可能的植物和微生物多糖对土壤粘附的相对能力存在于土壤中并有助于有机质含量和特性。通过扫描硝酸纤维素片来量化附着在已知数量的特定多糖点上的土壤重量。结果本次调查确定的最有效的多糖包括壳聚糖、β-1,3-葡聚糖、黄蓍胶、黄原胶和木葡聚糖。我们还证明了土壤粘附试验适用于评估植物分泌物的土壤结合特性。结论土壤粘附试验将有助于土壤有机质成分的功能解剖，以及土壤与植物附着的因素。根和根鞘形成。