Authors: Luis Valdez, Mary Alvarez, Jessica Berryman, Ron Valcarce
Mentors: Jessica Berryman
Insitution: Salt Lake Community College
Plants produce & emit a diverse and substantial amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. These compounds play important roles in the plant’s tri-trophic interactions, responses to environmental stress, and have been shown to participate in atmospheric chemistry. Although variation in VOC emissions in plants has been extensively studied, there are gaps in knowledge on how symbiotic interactions with soil microbiota shape the VOC profile of plants in the context of environmental stress. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are fungi that form symbiotic associations with plants by colonizing their roots & providing enhanced micronutrient & water retention in exchange for photosynthates. These associations have also been shown to enhance plant responses against biotic & abiotic stress. In this study, we will look at how the expression of heat stress- induced VOCs changes based on mycorrhizal availability in the soil. Populus b. trichocarpa saplings will be exposed to the respective temperatures of 25° C, 35° C, & 40° C for an extended period of time. Emitted volatiles will be collected and analyzed using GC-MS. For each type of temperature, emissions will be compared between saplings planted under different levels of AMF availability (low, medium, & high). We expect volatile emissions to change based on mycorrhizal availability in one of two scenarios; increased emissions due to increased phosphorus uptake from the fungus or decreased emissions due to carbon allocation to the fungus.