Leaf endophytes and <i>Populus</i> genotype affect severity of damage from the necrotrophic leaf pathogen, <i>Drepanopeziza populi</i>

Busby, Posy E.; Zimmerman, Naupaka; Weston, David J.; Jawdy, Sara; Houbraken, Jos; Newcombe, George

doi:10.1890/es13-00127.1

Cited by 38 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…For example, plants could be mounting defenses involving nitrogenous compounds in response to microbial infection. In addition to resistance mechanisms triggered by pathogen infection, induced resistance may also be linked to colonization by protective endophytes, which appear to reduce disease severity by priming plant resistance against pathogens (Busby et al ., ; Mejía et al ., ). This hypothesized ‘vaccine effect’ could explain why whole plants inoculated with C. tropicale have increased uptake of 15 N into their tissues, as well as why leaves co‐inoculated with C. tropicale and P. palmivora have elevated 15 N in their tissues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foliar endophytic fungi alter patterns of nitrogen uptake and distribution in Theobroma cacao

2019

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Summary Colonization by foliar endophytic fungi can affect the expression of host plant defenses and other ecologically important traits. However, whether endophyte colonization affects the uptake or redistribution of resources within and among host plant tissues remains unstudied. We inoculated leaves of Theobroma cacao with four common colonizers that range in their effect from protective to pathogenic (Colletotrichum tropicale, Pestalotiopsis sp., Colletotrichum theobromicola, or Phytophthora palmivora). We pulsed the soil with nitrogen‐15 (15N) and then traced 15N uptake and its subsequent distribution to whole plants and individual leaves. At a whole‐plant level, C. tropicale‐inoculated plants showed significantly greater 15N uptake than endophyte‐free plants did in the same pot. Among leaves within plants, younger leaves were particularly enriched in 15N, but endophyte inoculation at the individual leaf level did not alter 15N distribution within plants. However, leaves co‐inoculated with pathogenic Phytophthora and protective C. tropicale experienced significantly elevated 15N content as pathogen damage increased, compared with leaves inoculated only with the pathogen. Further, endophyte–pathogen co‐infection also increased total plant biomass. Our results indicate that colonization by foliar endophytes significantly affects N uptake and distribution among and within host plants in ways that appear to be context dependent on other microbiome components.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foliar endophytic fungi alter patterns of nitrogen uptake and distribution in Theobroma cacao

2019

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“…Some endophytic fungi have been found to protect plants from pathogens 87 , herbivores 88 and challenging environmental conditions 89 . By contrast, other endophytic fungi may facilitate disease in the presence of more virulent pathogens 90 . For example, pre-infection of cottonwood (Populus spp.)…”

Section: Deconstructing Functional Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dimensions of biodiversity in the Earth mycobiome

2016

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Fungi represent a large proportion of the genetic diversity on Earth and fungal activity influences the structure of plant and animal communities, as well as rates of ecosystem processes. Large-scale DNA-sequencing datasets are beginning to reveal the dimensions of fungal biodiversity, which seem to be fundamentally different to bacteria, plants and animals. In this Review, we describe the patterns of fungal biodiversity that have been revealed by molecular-based studies. Furthermore, we consider the evidence that supports the roles of different candidate drivers of fungal diversity at a range of spatial scales, as well as the role of dispersal limitation in maintaining regional endemism and influencing local community assembly. Finally, we discuss the ecological mechanisms that are likely to be responsible for the high heterogeneity that is observed in fungal communities at local scales.

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“…competition and mycoparisitism; Sharma & Heather, ; Woo et al ., ) and/or by modulating plant defense responses (Mejía et al ., ). Through such interactions, foliar fungi can either decrease or increase plant disease severity, acting as ‘pathogen antagonists’ or ‘pathogen facilitators’, respectively (Arnold et al ., ; Saunders & Kohn, ; Kurose et al ., ; Busby et al ., ; Raghavendra & Newcombe, ; Ridout & Newcombe, ). Pathogen antagonists are similar to more widely recognized plant defensive mutualists, such as ants (Davidson & McKey, ) and grass endophytes (Clay, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pathogen antagonists have long been known in agricultural systems where they are used as biocontrols (Larkin & Fravel, ; Lee et al ., ); likewise, pathogen facilitators have been used to increase the severity of diseases of invasive plants (Morin et al ., ). By contrast, our understanding of disease modification in wild plant pathosystems is limited because the foliar fungal taxa studied have been undetermined, relatively unusual (Busby et al ., ; Adame‐Álvarez et al ., ), or associated primarily with temperate gymnosperms (Ridout & Newcombe, ). To our knowledge, no previous study has combined experimental tests of disease modification with ecological studies to determine the abundance and distribution of pathogen antagonists and pathogen facilitators in a wild plant pathosystem.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Common foliar fungi of Populus trichocarpa modify Melampsora rust disease severity

2015

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Summary Nonpathogenic foliar fungi (i.e. endophytes and epiphytes) can modify plant disease severity in controlled experiments. However, experiments have not been combined with ecological studies in wild plant pathosystems to determine whether disease‐modifying fungi are common enough to be ecologically important. We used culture‐based methods and DNA sequencing to characterize the abundance and distribution of foliar fungi of Populus trichocarpa in wild populations across its native range (Pacific Northwest, USA). We conducted complementary, manipulative experiments to test how foliar fungi commonly isolated from those populations influence the severity of Melampsora leaf rust disease. Finally, we examined correlative relationships between the abundance of disease‐modifying foliar fungi and disease severity in wild trees. A taxonomically and geographically diverse group of common foliar fungi significantly modified disease severity in experiments, either increasing or decreasing disease severity. Spatial patterns in the abundance of some of these foliar fungi were significantly correlated (in predicted directions) with disease severity in wild trees. Our study reveals that disease modification is an ecological function shared by common foliar fungal symbionts of P. trichocarpa. This finding raises new questions about plant disease ecology and plant biodiversity, and has applied potential for disease management.

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Leaf endophytes and Populus genotype affect severity of damage from the necrotrophic leaf pathogen, Drepanopeziza populi

Cited by 38 publications

References 37 publications

Foliar endophytic fungi alter patterns of nitrogen uptake and distribution in Theobroma cacao

Foliar endophytic fungi alter patterns of nitrogen uptake and distribution in Theobroma cacao

Dimensions of biodiversity in the Earth mycobiome

Common foliar fungi of Populus trichocarpa modify Melampsora rust disease severity

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