Extraction of Glomalin and Associated Compounds with Two Chemical Solutions in Cultivated Tepetates of Mexico

Abstract

Glomalin is a glycoprotein produced by the hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The chemical methods usually employed to extract glomalin from the soil obtain something more than this pure glycoprotein, and therefore it would be better to call this fraction soil protein related to glomalin (SPRG) or glomalin associated with humic substances (GAHS). On this account, its isolation is controversial. The SPGR or GAHS has a significant influence on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and could then be considered as an indicator of soil use change. In the present study, the storage of SPRG was evaluated, as well as carbon (C) associated with the latter (CG) and the content of soil organic C (SOC) in cultivated tepetates in the State of Mexico. Tepetates are hardened volcanic tuffs of the fragipan type, ameliorated for agricultural production. The specific objectives of the present study were (1) to evaluate the SPRG levels in tepetates, (2) measure the contribution of carbon (C) made by the SPRG to soil organic C (SOC), and (3) compare the extraction of SPRG with sodium pyrophosphate and sodium citrate. The samples used in this experiment came from 87 tepetate-cultivated plots (0–20 cm) located in the Texcoco River basin, State of Mexico. The levels of SPRG were observed among traces, 2.3 mg g^–1 for citrate and up to 5.6 mg g^–1 for pyrophosphate. The latter reactive allowed us to extract nearly three times more SPRG and two times more C-SPRG than sodium citrate (P = 0.05) in the tepetates having about 4% of SOC; yet when the latter was less than 0.5%, the extraction levels with both solutions were similar. The SPRG and CG were closely correlated with SOC (r > 0.90). Tepetates have levels of SPRG similar to those observed in arid soils.

Keywords:

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
• carbon sequestration
• hardened volcanic soils

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the IRD (ex-ORSTOM), INSTRUCT, Comisión Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT), and the European Union (REVOLSO Project ICA4-CT-2001-0052) for the funding given for this research.