Anastomosis within and between networks of Rhizophagus irregularis is differentially influenced by fungicides

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play key roles in soil fertility of agroecosystems. They develop dense extraradical mycelial (ERM) networks via mechanisms such as hyphal anastomosis. These connections between hyphae can be affected by agricultural practices such as the use of fungicides, but how these compounds affect anastomosis formation within and more importantly between networks of the same AM fungal strain remains poorly unexplored. Here, the impact of azoxystrobin, pencycuron, flutolanil, and fenpropimorph at 0.02 and 2 mg L(−1) were tested in vitro on the anastomosis formation within and between networks of Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833. Azoxystrobin and fenpropimorph had a particularly detrimental impact, at the highest concentration (2 mg L(−1)), on the number of anastomoses within and between networks, and for fenpropimorph in particular at both concentrations (0.02 and 2 mg L(−1)) on the number of anastomoses per length of hyphae. Curiously fenpropimorph at 0.02 mg L(−1) significantly stimulated spore production, while with azoxystrobin, the reverse was observed at 2 mg L(−1). The two other fungicides, pencycuron and flutolanil, had no detrimental effects on spore production or anastomosis formation within and between networks. These results suggest that fungicides with different modes of action and concentrations differentially affect anastomosis possibly by altering the hyphal tips of AM fungi and may thus affect the capacity of AM fungi to develop large hyphal networks exploring and exploiting the soil at the service of plants.