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Calcium oxalate crystals in eucalypt ectomycorrhizae: morphochemical characterization.
Victor Satler Pylro1, André Luiz Moreira de Freitas, Wagner Campos Otoni
1Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Plos One
|July 12, 2013
Summary
Ectomycorrhizal fungi in eucalypt roots form calcium oxalate crystals. This study details their morphology and elemental composition, confirming their role in calcium accumulation.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Plant Science
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi are crucial for forest ecosystems, enhancing plant water and nutrient uptake.
- Previous studies noted crystallites in eucalypt ectomycorrhizas, but their characterization was incomplete.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform detailed morphological and chemical characterization of crystals in eucalypt ectomycorrhizas.
- To identify the composition and forms of these crystalline structures.
Main Methods:
- Polarized light microscopy of acetic acid-treated and cleared ectomycorrhizal root sections.
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray (EDS) microprobe analysis.
Main Results:
- Crystals were identified as calcium oxalate, predominantly in crystal sand (granules) and concretion forms.
- EDS analysis confirmed calcium, carbon, and oxygen as constituent elements in both morphologies.
- This is the first report on the stoichiometry and morphology of crystals in tropical eucalypt ectomycorrhizas.
Conclusions:
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi in eucalypt roots accumulate calcium in the form of calcium oxalate crystals.
- This finding supports the role of ectomycorrhizae in calcium uptake and storage in hybrid eucalypt plants.
