Real-time fluorescence imaging platform for high-throughput screening of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhancing plant nutrient uptake

Abstract

Abstract Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ancient soil symbionts that form mutualistic associations with approximately 80% of terrestrial plant species. They enhance host nutrient and water acquisition in exchange for photosynthetic carbon. Current AMF research relies on field trials, compartmented cultivation and pot cultures‒methods that are time-consuming (months to years) and unable to monitor dynamic nutrient transport, thus limiting efficient strain screening. Results We developed a real-time fluorescence imaging platform integrating sterile symbiotic microchambers with photodiode array detection. This system enables non-invasive, quantitative tracking of nutrient flux at plant-fungal interface. Distinct AMF strains exhibit significant differences in fluorescence kinetics—such as accumulation rate and peak intensity—providing measurable indicators of transport efficiency. The platform allows high-throughput functional screening of AMF strains, dramatically accelerating the identification of high-performance symbionts. Conclusion Our method overcome the temporal and technical limitations of conventional AMF screening approaches. By enabling simultaneous real-time monitoring and high-throughput analysis, it shortens screening cycles and establishes a standardized framework for (1) precision breeding of efficiency AMF strains, (2) mechanistic study of nutrient exchange, and (3) development of sustainable microbial inoculants.

Plant phenotyping relevance

植物と菌根菌の界面における栄養輸送をリアルタイム定量する蛍光イメージング基盤を開発しており、植物関連の生理状態を取得する方法が研究の中心である。

Code and data availability

The preprint describes a custom fluorescence imaging platform and MATLAB/LabVIEW analysis, but provides no public data, code, or model deposit. The Data Availability statement says no datasets were generated or analyzed, and the supplementary figure is explicitly unavailable in this version. No authors' public URLs for

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