IntroductionDrought has become more prevalent due to dramatic climate change worldwide. Consequently, the most compatible fungal communities collaborate to boost plant development and ecophysiological responses under environmental constraints. However, little is known about the specific interactions between non-host plants and endophytic fungal symbionts that produce growth-promoting and stress-alleviating hormones during water deficits.MethodsThe current research was rationalized and aimed at exploring the influence of the newly isolated, drought-resistant, ACC deaminase enzyme-producing endophytic fungi Trichoderma gamsii (TP), Fusarium proliferatum (TR), and its consortium (TP+TR) from a xerophytic plant Carthamus oxycantha L. on Moringa oleifera L. grown under water deficit induced by PEG-8000 (8% osmoticum solution).ResultsThe current findings revealed that the co-inoculation promoted a significant enhancement in growth traits such as dry weight (217%), fresh weight (123%), root length (65%), shoot length (53%), carotenoids (87%), and chlorophyll content (76%) in comparison to control plants under water deficit. Total soluble sugars (0.56%), proteins (132%), lipids (43%), flavonoids (52%), phenols (34%), proline (55%), GA3 (86%), IAA (35%), AsA (170%), SA (87%), were also induced, while H2O2 (-45%), ABA (-60%) and ACC level (-77%) was decreased by co-inoculation of TP and TR in M. oleifera plants, compared with the non-inoculated plants under water deficit. The co-inoculum (TP+TR) also induced the antioxidant potential and enzyme activities POX (325%), CAT activity (166%), and AsA (21%), along with a lesser decrease (-2%) in water potential in M. oleifera plants with co-inoculation under water deficit compared with non-inoculated control. The molecular analysis for gene expression unraveled the reduced expression of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling-related genes up to an optimal level, with an induction of antioxidant enzymatic genes by endophytic co-inoculation in M. oleifera plants under water deficit, suggesting their role in drought stress tolerance as an essential regulatory function.ConclusionThe finding may alert scientists to consider the impacts of optimal reduction of ethylene and induction of antioxidant potential on drought stress tolerance in M. oleifera. Hence, the present study supports the use of compatible endophytic fungi to build a bipartite mutualistic symbiosis in M. oleifera non-host plants to mitigate the negative impacts of water scarcity in arid regions throughout the world.
Plant species are known to harbor large number of endophytes, which stays in plant tissues as symbionts. These endophytes secrete large array of bioactive compounds that have potency against certain diseases with no side effects. We have collected leaf samples of the Moringa oleifera plant from the Pakistan Forest Institute, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan for the isolation of beneficial endophytes. The strains isolated from the leaves of M. oleifera were coded with MOL and tested for antimicrobial, antifungal, germicidal, phytotoxic, insecticidal, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory activities. The isolates, MOL1, MOL16, MOL19, and MOL21, possessed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, whereas MOL7 inhibited 55% of the growth of Escherichia coli. MOL3 inhibited the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The strains, MOL1 and MOL7, showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, while the strains, MOL11 and MOL17, showed activity against Verticillium chlamydosporium. The isolates, MOL3, MOL7, MOL9, MOL15, MOL17, MOL18, and MOL19, inhibited the growth of Lemna minor (duckweed) at 100 μg/ml. MOL2 exhibited strong activity in the brine shrimp assay, while MOL1, MOL2, MOL5, MOL6, MOL12, MOL17, MOL19, and MOL20 showed insecticidal, and MOL3 demonstrated larvicidal and antileishmanial activity. The isolated potent endophytes were identified as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Tricoderma, Rhizoctonia, Mucor, Alternaria, Pestalotiopsis, Acremonium, and Cladosporium through morphological and microscopic characteristics of the colonies.
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