Leaf markers for root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in plants
Inventors
BALDWIN, IAN T. • HALITSCHKE, RAYKO • Wang, Ming • Li, Dapeng • Schäfer, Martin • MCGALE, ERICA • HEILING, SVEN
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12523655-B2
Publication Date
2026-01-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to a method of determining an association of a first plant with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), said method comprising comparing the amount of a blumenol in an aerial part of said first plant to the amount of said blumenol in an aerial part of a second plant, wherein said second plant belongs to the same species as said first plant, and wherein an increased amount is indicative of increased association in said first plant as compared to said second plant, and a decreased amount is indicative of decreased association.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to methods of determining and producing a mycorrhizal association between a first plant and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) by measuring blumenol marker amounts in an aerial part of the first plant. In particular, a blumenol marker for mycorrhizal association includes 11-hydroxyblumenol-C-9-O-Glc, determined from a sample taken from the aerial part, such as leaves. The approaches compare marker amounts in the aerial part of a first plant to marker amounts in a selected second plant reference, or to a reference value taken from a knowledge base or baseline value.
The invention solves the problem of how to determine mycorrhizal association using aerial-part blumenol marker measurements and reference comparisons rather than assessing AMF association through the relationship of the first plant to AMF itself. The method selects a second plant reference that can be an AMF-free plant of the same species, an AMF-associated plant of the same species, the same individual at a different point in time, or a plant with unknown mycorrhization status. After the comparison, the method determines the association of the first plant with an AMF, including selecting the first plant for increased, decreased, or not having AMF association based on the comparative blumenol marker amount.
A related production method produces a mycorrhizal association by contacting a vascular plant with an AMF, selecting a point in time between about two weeks and about ten weeks after contacting, determining the amount of the blumenol marker 11-hydroxyblumenol-C-9-O-Glc in an aerial-part sample, and comparing the determined amount to an obtained reference value. The method calculates a difference between the contacted plant’s marker amount and the reference value and selects each contacted first plant only when the marker amount is increased as compared to the reference value, thereby producing the mycorrhizal association.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive core involves aerial-part measurement of a specific blumenol marker, a time window between about two weeks and about ten weeks, and reference-based comparison.
Aerial-part blumenol marker determination for AMF association
Determining the amount of a blumenol marker for mycorrhizal association in an aerial part of a first plant, wherein the blumenol marker is 11-hydroxyblumenol-C-9-O-Glc, and wherein the determining comprises taking a sample from the aerial part and measuring the amount of the blumenol marker.
Time-windowed marker measurement after AMF contact
Measuring the amount of the blumenol marker at a time point between about two weeks and about ten weeks after contact with an AMF.
Reference selection and comparison to determine degree of AMF association
Selecting a second plant as a reference from a plant free of any association with an AMF, a plant of the same species having an association with an AMF, the same individual at different points in time, or a second plant wherein the mycorrhization status is not known; comparing the amount of the blumenol marker in the aerial part of the first plant to the amount determined in an aerial part of the second plant; and determining the association of the first plant with an AMF based on the comparative marker amount.
Selection based on increased marker amount relative to reference for producing AMF association
Selecting a point in time between about two weeks and about ten weeks after contacting a first plant with an AMF and determining the amount of a blumenol marker for mycorrhizal association in a sample from an aerial part at that point in time, obtaining a reference value selected from same-individual prior-time, an AMF-free same-species plant, or a knowledge base baseline value, comparing the amount to the reference value to obtain a difference, and selecting each contacted first plant for having an amount of the blumenol marker increased as compared to the reference value, thereby producing the mycorrhizal association.
The claimed subject matter centers on marker-based assessment of AMF-related mycorrhizal association using aerial-part measurement of 11-hydroxyblumenol-C-9-O-Glc, followed by reference-based comparison to determine or produce the mycorrhizal association.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?