Potentilla anserina, a traditional Tibetan plant, can be grown as animal feed on salty, unused land. Researchers found that when the plant is fermented as silage, it becomes more nutritious and develops beneficial microbes that help it resist salt and drought. This makes it a promising sustainable feed option for livestock raised in areas with saline soils.
Scientists in China discovered that a fungus called Colletotrichum tofieldiae causes a disease called anthracnose in perennial vetch (Vicia unijuga), an important forage crop used for animal feed. When plants get infected with this fungus, they become weak, their ability to photosynthesize decreases, and the nutritional quality of the plant drops significantly, reducing its value as animal feed. The fungus can also infect other legume crops like alfalfa and clover, showing it has a broad range of potential host plants.
Researchers tested whether a fungus called Exserohilum rostratum could help Rhodes grass tolerate salty soils. While the fungus survived well in salty conditions and colonized plant roots, it only moderately improved plant growth under high salt levels. The fungus did help plants maintain better potassium and calcium balance compared to non-inoculated plants, but this wasn’t always enough to overcome severe salt stress.
Researchers studied whether a beneficial soil fungus called Exserohilum rostratum could help Rhodes grass survive in salty soils. The fungus could tolerate salt and colonize plant roots, producing helpful enzymes and acids. While the fungus did improve the plant’s ability to maintain balanced nutrient levels and helped under normal conditions, it provided only limited benefits when salt stress became severe, showing that such fungal partnerships work best under specific conditions.