Moukarzel, RomyRidgway, HGuerin-Laruette, AlexisMundy, DionJones, Elizabeth2022-07-112022-07-112019https://hdl.handle.net/10182/15161Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is the most widespread type of interaction between plants and microbes in the context of phylogeny and ecology. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are regarded as non-specific symbionts, but some AM fungal groups interact differently in various ecosystems including vineyards. Grapevine plants are normally mycorrhizal and very responsive to AMF colonisation. Although, these fungi have potentially significant applications for sustainable agricultural ecosystems, there is a gap in knowledge regarding AMF-grapevine interactions worldwide and especially in New Zealand. This research focuses on identifying AMF communities colonising grapevines in New Zealand vineyards and investigate the effect of grapevine rootstocks on AMF community diversity and composition. Root samples were collected from five vineyard sites, each site planted with four to eight different rootstocks. The root samples were used to set up trap cultures for AMF recovery and for molecular identification using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). AMF spores extracted from pot cultures were identified based on spore morphology and sequencing of the 18S region. Eighty representatives DGGE bands from the surveyed sites were cut, re-amplified and sequenced. Community matrixes with presence/absence data were also generated from DGGE gels and analysed using multivariate analysis. Six spore morphotypes were extracted from pot cultures and identified as Ambispora spp., Acaulospora spp., Glomus spp. and Claroideoglomus spp. Fifty four of the sequenced DGGE bands from root samples were associated with AMF and assigned to Glomus spp., Rhizophagus spp. and Claroideoglomus spp. The AMF community analyses demonstrated that rootstock significantly influences the AMF community composition in all sites. The study showed that for a comprehensive identification of AMF both results from trap culture and molecular work are needed, and that AMF communities colonising grapevine are influenced by rootstock.pp.101-101Conference Contribution - published2022-07-11