Effect of potassium and phosphorus on the transport of radiocesium by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity 2010-06, Vol.101 (6), p.482-487
• Main Authors: Gyuricza, Veronika, Dupré de Boulois, Hervé, Declerck, Stéphane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Biological and medical sciences; Biological effects of radiation; Biological Transport; Cesium; Cesium Radioisotopes - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glomus intraradices; Mycorrhizae - drug effects; Mycorrhizae - metabolism; Phosphorus; Phosphorus - pharmacology; Potassium; Potassium - pharmacology; Radiocesium; Radiocontamination; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.04.002

Potassium, a chemical analogue of cesium, and phosphorus, an essential macronutrient transported by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), have been suggested to influence the transport of radiocesium by AMF. However, no study investigated the effects of increasing concentrations of both elements on the importance of this transport. Here, the arbuscular mycorrhizal-plant (AM-P) in vitro culture system associating Medicago truncatula plantlets with Glomus intraradices was used to evaluate this effect. Using three concentrations of K (0, 1, 10 mM) and two concentrations of P (30 and 3000 μM) added to a compartment only accessible to the AMF, we demonstrated that K and P individually and in combination significantly influenced radiocesium transport by AMF. Whilst increased concentration of K decreased the amount of radiocesium transported, the opposite was observed for P. Although the exact mechanisms involved need to be assessed, both elements were identified as important factors influencing the transport of radiocesium by AMF.