Zakaria LAHRACH
Project
Effects of Plant-AMF-PSM interaction on biological dissolution of rock phosphateArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), obligatory biotrophic can establish symbioses with about 80 % of plants. Many studies have shown that these fungi play an important role in the protection of plants against pathogens and soil organic and inorganic pollutants, as well as in mineral and hydric nutrition by uptake and mobilization of water and essential nutrients for growth, especially phosphorus. However, within a complex environment such as soil, the association between AMF and plants depends not only on the two partners (AMF-Plants). Several researches have had the aim to study microbes associated with AMF, and they have shown that AMF harbor a large microbial community both on the surface and/or inside their spores, hyphae and intraradical propagules. Among these microbes, figure the phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSM) namely bacteria and fungi capable to dissolve phosphate present in the soil or supplied as an igneous or sedimentary rock. Despite the advantages of such symbiosis, the importance of those microorganisms and the diversity of the microbiome related to the AMF as well as the effects of plants-AMF-PSM interaction in solubilizing phosphates remain largely unknown. This research project will be considered to our knowledge as the first one dedicated to decrypt this interaction between AMF and soil microbes within the context of phosphate dissolving. It will allow us to select the best AMF phosphate solubilizing microbes in terms of their effectiveness on phosphate dissolution and plant growth, identifying genes involved in P assimilation and determine the dissolution mechanisms of rock phosphate.
