Diversity of endophytic fungi of Myricaria laxiflora grown under pre- and post-flooding conditions

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Myricaria laxiflora is distributed along the riverbanks of the Yangtze River valley. The Three Gorges Dam has dramatically changed the habitat of M. laxiflora, which has evolved to develop increased resistance to flooding stress. In order to elucidate the relationship between plant endophytic fungi and flooding stress, we isolated and taxonomically characterized the endophytic fungi of M. laxiflora. One hundred and sixty-three fungi were isolated from healthy stems, leaves and roots of M. laxiflora grown under pre-and post-flooding conditions. Culture and isolation were carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Based on internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis and morphological characteristics, the isolates exhibited abundant biodiversity; they were classified into 5 subphyla, 7 classes, 12 orders, 17 families, and 26 genera. Dominant endophytes varied between pre-and post-flooding plants, among different plant tissues, and between aerobic and anaerobic culture conditions. Aspergillus and Alternaria accounted for more than 55% of all isolates. Although the number of isolates from post-flooding plants 10850 W. Tian et al. ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (3): 10849-10862 (2015) was greater, endophytes from pre-flooding plants were more diverse and abundant. Endophytes were distributed preferentially in particular tissues; this affinity was constrained by both the host habitat and the oxygen availability of the host.

Diversity and bioactivities of fungal endophytes from Distylium chinense, a rare waterlogging tolerant plant endemic to the Three Gorges Reservoir

“…Among them, the fungi that belong to Phomopsis, Diaporthe, Fusarium and Irpex, have been reported as the main endophytes of wetland shrub Myricaria laxiflora in the TGR [65] and riparian plant species [66]. This is also in accordance with the report that Fusarium, Phomopsis and Irpex are not sensitive to flooding stress [65].…”

“…Among them, the fungi that belong to Phomopsis, Diaporthe, Fusarium and Irpex, have been reported as the main endophytes of wetland shrub Myricaria laxiflora in the TGR [65] and riparian plant species [66]. This is also in accordance with the report that Fusarium, Phomopsis and Irpex are not sensitive to flooding stress [65]. Previously, it has been reported that the assembly of land plant endophytic fungi is composed of representatives Sordariomycetes, Dothideomycetes and Pezizomycetes [67,68], while plants from water or moist environments are more often parasitized by Eurotiomycetes [69].…”

Fungal Endophytes Exert Positive Effects on Colobanthus quitensis Under Water Stress but Neutral Under a Projected Climate Change Scenario in Antarctica

“…For example, it was shown that the endophytic communities of bacteria in plants of Oryza sativa were significantly affected by variations in the physico-chemical soil conditions as a result of the flooding practices typically found in rice cropping systems (Ferrando and Fernández, 2015). Similarly, a study conducted with Myricaria laxiflora plants showed that flooding events negatively affected endophytic fungal communities, which were more diverse and abundant before flooding due to oxygen availability conditions (Tian et al, 2015). It has been suggested that plants are able to improve its responses to different biotic and/or abiotic conditions by retaining memories of stress factors, allowing a better performance under stochastic environmental stress events (Crisp et al, 2016).…”

Diversity and bioactivities of fungal endophytes from Distylium chinense, a rare waterlogging tolerant plant endemic to the Three Gorges Reservoir

“…The identified fungi were mainly composed of Phomopsis, N. parvum, Diaporthe, Fusarium and Irpex with relative frequencies 24.7%, 23.4%, 3.2%, 5.2% and 4.5%, respectively. Among them, fungi that belong to Phomopsis, Diaporthe, Fusarium and Irpex have been reported as the main endophytes of wetland shrub Myricaria laxiflora in the TGR [67] and riparian plant species [68]. Additionally, Fusarium, Phomopsis and Irpex has also been reported to be not sensitive to flooding stress [67].…”