No mycorrhizae on Schoenoplectus maritimus in the Camargue

It has been thought for a long time that wetland plants were devoid of mycorrhizae. In recent years, however, an increasing number of studies have reported the presence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (or endomycorrhizae) on several marsh plants. These fungi are often beneficial for their hosts enhancing growth through better mineral and water nutrition as well as photosynthetic activity. Giving the importance of endomycorrhizae on resource allocation, we sought to determine whether these structures were present on S. maritimus growing in southern France. We sampled roots of 25 tubers collected at 5 sampling stations in 2 marshes for a total of 250 roots. Roots were stained and observed under a light microscope (400 X). No fungal structures (hyphae, vesicles, arbuscles, or spores) were observed on S. maritimus roots

Pas de mycorhize sur le Scirpe maritime (Schoenoplectus maritimus) en Camargue

No mycorrhizae on Schoenoplectus maritimus in the Camargue. — It has been thought for a long time that wetland plants were devoid of mycorrhizae. In recent years, however, an increasing number of studies have reported the presence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (or endomycorrhizae) on several marsh plants. These fungi are often beneficial for their hosts enhancing growth through better mineral and water nutrition as well as photosynthetic activity. Giving the importance of endomycorrhizae on resource allocation, we sought to determine whether these structures were present on S. maritimus growing in southern France. We sampled roots of 25 tubers collected at 5 sampling stations in 2 marshes for a total of 250 roots. Roots were stained and observed under a light microscope (400 X). No fungal structures (hyphae, vesicles, arbuscles, or spores) were observed on S. maritimus roots.Gourau Christophe, Giroux Jean-François, Mesléard François, Gutjahr Sylvain, Desnouhes Laurent. Pas de mycorhize sur le Scirpe maritime (Schoenoplectus maritimus) en Camargue. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 63, n°3, 2008. pp. 279-282

Cressa critica L. (Convolvulaceae), host plant of the weevil Sharpia rubida (Rosenhauer, 1956) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Erirrhininae)

In the course of a study on Cressa cretica, an endangered plant living in transient salt marshes, we detected a parasitism involving the rare weevi l Sharpia rubida. The consequences fo r the reprodu ction of the plant may be dramatic, since up to about 90% of the flower buds are destroyed. Ovipos ition and larval developm ent of Sharpia rubida occur in the flower buds between the end of July and the end of Aug ust. The fourth-instar larvae pupate in the soil. Adults emerge in September and overwinter in the surrounding vegetation

Cressa critica L. (Convolvulaceae), host plant of the weevil Sharpia rubida (Rosenhauer, 1956) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Erirrhininae)

In the course of a study on Cressa cretica, an endangered plant living in transient salt marshes, we detected a parasitism involving the rare weevi l Sharpia rubida. The consequences fo r the reprodu ction of the plant may be dramatic, since up to about 90% of the flower buds are destroyed. Ovipos ition and larval developm ent of Sharpia rubida occur in the flower buds between the end of July and the end of Aug ust. The fourth-instar larvae pupate in the soil. Adults emerge in September and overwinter in the surrounding vegetation