Saprotrophic Fungus Induces Microscale Mineral Weathering to Source Potassium in a Carbon-Limited Environment


Journal article


J. Richardson, C. Anderton, A. Bhattacharjee
Minerals, 2023

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APA   Click to copy
Richardson, J., Anderton, C., & Bhattacharjee, A. (2023). Saprotrophic Fungus Induces Microscale Mineral Weathering to Source Potassium in a Carbon-Limited Environment. Minerals.


Chicago/Turabian   Click to copy
Richardson, J., C. Anderton, and A. Bhattacharjee. “Saprotrophic Fungus Induces Microscale Mineral Weathering to Source Potassium in a Carbon-Limited Environment.” Minerals (2023).


MLA   Click to copy
Richardson, J., et al. “Saprotrophic Fungus Induces Microscale Mineral Weathering to Source Potassium in a Carbon-Limited Environment.” Minerals, 2023.


BibTeX   Click to copy

@article{j2023a,
  title = {Saprotrophic Fungus Induces Microscale Mineral Weathering to Source Potassium in a Carbon-Limited Environment},
  year = {2023},
  journal = {Minerals},
  author = {Richardson, J. and Anderton, C. and Bhattacharjee, A.}
}

Abstract

Plants rely on potassium for many critical biological processes, but most soils are potassium limited. Moving potassium from the inaccessible, mineral-bound pool to a more bioavailable form is crucial for sustainably increasing local potassium concentrations for plant growth and health. Here, we use a synthetic soil habitat (mineral doped micromodels) to study and directly visualize how the saprotrophic fungus, Fusarium sp. DS 682, weathers K-rich soil minerals. After 30 days of fungal growth, both montmorillonite and illite (secondary clays) had formed as surface coatings on primary K-feldspar, biotite, and kaolinite grains. The distribution of montmorillonite differed depending on the proximity to a carbon source, where montmorillonite was found to be associated with K-feldspar closer to the carbon (C) source, which the fungus was inoculated on, but associated with biotite at greater distances from the C source. The distribution of secondary clays is likely due to a change in the type of fungal exuded organic acids; from citric to tartaric acid dominated production with increasing distance from the C source. Thus, the main control on the ability of Fusarium sp. DS 682 to weather K-feldspar is proximity to a C source to produce citric acid via the TCA cycle.


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