Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1991 May;57(5):1485-8.
doi: 10.1128/aem.57.5.1485-1488.1991.

Flavonoids released naturally from alfalfa promote development of symbiotic glomus spores in vitro

Affiliations

Flavonoids released naturally from alfalfa promote development of symbiotic glomus spores in vitro

S M Tsai et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 May.

Abstract

Because flavonoids from legumes induce transcription of nodulation genes in symbiotic rhizobial bacteria, it is reasonable to test whether these compounds alter the development of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi that infect those plants. Quercetin-3-O-galactoside, the dominant flavonoid released naturally from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seeds, promoted spore germination of Glomus etunicatum and Glomus macrocarpum in vitro. Quercetin produced the maximum increases in spore germination, hyphal elongation, and hyphal branching in G. etunicatum at 1 to 2.5 muM concentrations. Two flavonoids exuded from alfalfa roots, 4',7-dihydroxyflavone and 4',7-dihydroxyflavanone, also enhanced spore germination of this fungal species. Formononetin, an isoflavone that is released from stressed alfalfa roots, inhibited germination of both Glomus species. These in vitro results suggest that plant flavonoids may facilitate or regulate the development of VAM symbioses and offer new hope for developing pure, plant-free cultures of VAM fungi.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. J Bacteriol. 1990 May;172(5):2769-73 - PubMed
    1. Cell. 1989 Jan 27;56(2):203-14 - PubMed
    1. Science. 1986 Aug 29;233(4767):977-80 - PubMed
    1. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Sep;55(9):2320-5 - PubMed
    1. Plant Physiol. 1989 Nov;91(3):842-7 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources