EndophyticCephalotheca sulfureaAGH07 reprograms soybean to higher growth

Abstract

Gibberellins (GAs) are well known for plant growth promotion. GAs production by fungi has received little attention, although substantial work has been carried out on other aspects of plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF). We investigated GAs production and plant growth-promoting capacity of an endophytic fungus isolated from the roots of soil grown soybean plants. The endophytic fungus is reported as GAs producer and as PGPF for the first time in this study. Nine endophytic isolates were collected from the roots of soybean, and culture filtrates (CFs) obtained from their pure cultures were screened on Waito-C, a dwarf rice cultivar, for the presence of GAs. Of these, seven fungal isolates promoted shoot length as compared to control (distilled water), while one inhibited it. Three fungal isolates were selected on the basis of higher shoot elongation as compared to wild type Gibberella fujikuroi, which was used as positive control. The growth-prompting capacity of selected fungal isolates SB5-1, SB3-2, and SB3-3 was bio-assayed on soybean cv. Hwangkeumkong. Fungal isolate SB5-1 provided maximum plant height (31.6 cm), shoot length (21.1 cm), whole plant fresh biomass (2.41 g), shoot fresh biomass (1.99 g), and leaf area (24.37 cm 2 ). The CF of isolate SB5-1 was analyzed for the presence of GAs, and it was found that all physiologically active GAs were present (GA 1 , 0.15 ng/ml, GA 3 , 1.2 ng/ml, GA 4 , 7.37 ng/ml, and GA 7 , 3.18 ng/ml) in conjunction with physiologically inactive GA 5 , GA 9 , GA 15 , GA 19 , GA 20 , and GA 24 . The fungal isolate SB5-1 was identified as a new strain of Cephalotheca sulfurea through molecular and phylogenetic approaches.

Effect of postharvest practices on the culturable filamentous fungi and yeast microbiota associated with the pear carpoplane

“…These fungi have been isolated from wood and soil, suggesting that this is their primary habitat. Exposure to fruit could thus have happened via wind, dust or vectors (Damm et al, 2008;Hamayun et al, 2012).…”

Endophytes Aspergillus caespitosus LK12 and Phoma sp. LK13 of Moringa peregrina produce gibberellins and improve rice plant growth

“…Previously some strains of Cephalotheca sulfurea and Phoma sp. have been reported to secret GAs, suggesting that these might have an active GAs biosynthesis pathway (Hamayun et al 2010(Hamayun et al , 2012.…”

Harnessing the Rhizosphere of the Halophyte Grass Aeluropus littoralis for Halophilic Plant-Growth-Promoting Fungi and Evaluation of Their Biostimulant Activities

“…Cephalotheca foveolata (A6) was identified as a new species of the genus Cephalotheca with a plant growth promoting activity. Another species, C. sulfurea, isolated from the roots of soybean was earlier reported to promote increases in shoot length [41]. In this work, a novel species, A8 (P. melinii), was shown to increase plant vigor.…”