Abstract
The use of genetically modified (GM) plants has increased in recent decades, but there are uncertainties about their effects on soil microbial communities. Aiming to quantify root colonization and characterize arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities associated with roots and rhizosphere soil of different maize genotypes, a field trial was carried out in Southern Brazil with three maize genotypes as follows: a GM hybrid (DKB 240 VTPRO), its non-modified isoline (DKB 240), and a landrace (Pixurum). Soil samples were collected to evaluate the occurrence of AMF during the growth of corn genotypes at sowing and V3 (vegetative), R1 (flowering), and R3 (grain formation) stages of the crop. The occurrence of AMF was determined by the morphological identification of spores, and by analyzing AMF community composition in soil and roots of maize, using PCR-DGGE. The GM genotype of maize promoted lower mycorrhizal colonization in the vegetative stage and had lower sporulation at grain development than the conventional hybrid and the landrace maize. Twenty AMF morphotypes were identified and 13 were associated with all maize genotypes. The genera Acaulospora, Glomus, and Dentiscutata had the largest numbers of species. There were no differences in AMF community composition due to maize genotypes or genetic modification, but crop phenological stages affected AMF communities associated with maize roots.
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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES (Finance Code 001) and CNPq funded this work.
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D.M.M.L conceived and designed the study, performed research, analyzed data, and wrote the first version of the manuscript. EM wrote the second version of the manuscript. E.M, R.D.A, L.M.S., and C.R.F.S.S conducted research, analyzed data, and wrote parts of the manuscript. K.J.S, A.G.H, S.L.S, and R.O.N analyzed data and revised the text. P. E. L contributed to the study design and wrote the final version of the manuscript.
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Fig S1
Microphotographs of the FMA morphotypes occurring in soil with any of three maize genotypes: a genetically modified hybrid (DKB-T), its non-modified isoline (DKB-I), and landrace (Pixurum). (PNG 3795 kb)
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Londoño, D.M.M., Meyer, E., da Silva, K.J. et al. Root colonization and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community composition in a genetically modified maize, its non-modified isoline, and a landrace. Mycorrhiza 30, 611–621 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-020-00969-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-020-00969-5