Akhtar, J orcid.org/0000-0001-9193-0083, Galloway, AF, Nikolopoulos, G orcid.org/0000-0003-3166-8372 et al. (2 more authors) (2018) A quantitative method for the high throughput screening for the soil adhesion properties of plant and microbial polysaccharides and exudates. Plant and Soil, 428 (1-2). pp. 57-65. ISSN 0032-079X
Abstract
Background and aims: Understanding the structures and functions of carbon-based molecules in soils is an important goal in the context of soils as an ecosystem function of immense importance. Polysaccharides are implicated in maintaining soil aggregate status but have not been extensively dissected in terms of their structures and soil adhesion properties. This is largely because of the technical difficulties in identifying polysaccharide structures and quantifying any functional properties.
Methods: Here, we describe the use of a novel nitrocellulose-based adhesion assay to determine the relative capacities for soil adhesion of over twenty plant and microbial polysaccharides that are likely to be present in soil and to contribute to organic matter content and properties. Weights of soil adhered to spots of known amounts of specific polysaccharides were quantified by scanning of the nitrocellulose sheets.
Results: The most effective polysaccharides identified from this survey included chitosan, β-1,3-glucan, gum tragacanth, xanthan and xyloglucan. We also demonstrate that the soil adhesion assay is suitable to assess the soil-binding properties of plant exudates.
Conclusions: The soil adhesion assay will be useful for the functional dissection of the organic matter components of soils and also of the factors involved in soil attachment to plant roots and in rhizosheath formation.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018, The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. |
Keywords: | Soil; Soil aggregate status; Polysaccharides; Soil-adhesion; Bioadhesives; Xyloglucan; Rhizosheaths |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Biology (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Dentistry (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 09 May 2018 11:14 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2023 21:20 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Verlag |
Identification Number: | 10.1007/s11104-018-3670-1 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:130569 |