Soil microbial biodiversity promotes crop productivity and agro-ecosystem functioning in experimental microcosms.

Soil biota contribute substantially to multiple ecosystem functions that are key for geochemical cycles and plant performance. However, soil biodiversity is currently threatened by land-use intensification, and a mechanistic understanding of how soil biodiversity loss interacts with the myriad of intensification elements (e.g.

Relative qPCR to quantify colonization of plant roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are beneficial soil fungi that can promote the growth of their host plants. Accurate quantification of AMF in plant roots is important because the level of colonization is often indicative of the activity of these fungi. Root colonization is traditionally measured with microscopy methods which visualize fungal structures inside roots.

Agricultural intensification reduces microbial network complexity and the abundance of keystone taxa in roots.

Root-associated microbes play a key role in plant performance and productivity, making them important players in agroecosystems. So far, very few studies have assessed the impact of different farming systems on the root microbiota and it is still unclear whether agricultural intensification influences the structure and complexity of microbial communities. We investigated the impact of conventional, no-till, and organic farming on wheat root fungal communities using PacBio SMRT sequencing on samples collected from 60 farmlands in Switzerland.

Community Profiling of in Combination with Other Plant-Associated Fungi in Different Crop Species Using SMRT Sequencing.

Fusarium head blight, caused by fungi from the genus , is one of the most harmful cereal diseases, resulting not only in severe yield losses but also in mycotoxin contaminated and health-threatening grains. Fusarium head blight is caused by a diverse set of species that have different host ranges, mycotoxin profiles and responses to agricultural practices. Thus, understanding the composition of communities in the field is crucial for estimating their impact and also for the development of effective control measures.