Insect Community Dynamics
Beneficial plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere have been found to enhance plant growth and development. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a major group among these microbes, improves plant fitness through the establishment of mycorrhizal symbioses. In partnership with a local valley farm (PPC Farms) this project explores whether AMF also has cascading effects on plant defense against herbivores in an organic cropping system with sorghum. This project aligns well with UTRGV’s mission, addressing environmental sustainability and research for the Rio Grande Valley and beyond. In addition, this project has provided a unique opportunity for us to work with farming community in the Valley fostering partnership and cooperation, and consequently providing intellectual feedback for our students and community. The questions asked through this project are both fundamental and applied in nature, and we are confident that this project will serve as a stepping stone for building more and diverse partnerships within the RGV and beyond. Our results so far suggest that while AMF inoculated plants had significantly better growth and establishment (fitness traits), they also experienced lower initial incidence and damage by the prevalent herbivores such as fall armyworm. In addition, our insect community trapping experiment revealed that AMF inoculated Sorghum attracted more beneficial insects and fewer damaging herbivores. In total, our data suggests that AMF treated Sorghum, in organic farming, can positively influence both growth and defense traits, thereby making an excellent cover crop that enhances both plant health and productivity.
Team members:
- Dr. Rupesh Kariyat, Assistant Professor in Biology
- Dr. Alex Racelis, Assistant Professor, School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences
- Dr. Pushpa Soti, Assistant Professor in Biology
- Dr. Tina Thomas, Lecturer II in Chemistry
- Jasleen Kaur, MS Biology Student, Kariyat lab
- Reyna Chavez, MS Biology Student, Kariyat lab
- Anwar Garza, PPC Farms, RGV
