Mycobiology.  2017 Dec;45(4):312-317. 10.5941/MYCO.2017.45.4.312.

Differences among Endophytic Fungal Communities Isolated from the Roots of Cephalanthera longibracteata Collected from Different Sites in Korea

• Lee BH
• Kwon WJ
• Kim JY
• Park JS
• Eom AH

• KMID: 2401060
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5941/MYCO.2017.45.4.312

Abstract

Orchidaceous plants have symbiotic relationships with endophytic fungi, including mycorrhizal fungi, which play important roles in the seed germination and growth of the host plants. In this study, endophytic fungal communities isolated from the roots of Cephalanthera longibracteata collected from three different sites in Korea were analyzed, and it was determined whether fungal communities were preferentially correlated with the sites. The fungal isolates were identified by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions of rDNA. In total, 30 species of endophytic fungi, including two species of mycorrhizal fungi belonging to the genus Tulasnella, were identified. Leptodontidium orchidicola showed the highest frequency and was isolated from all root samples. Species diversity and richness were not significantly different among sites. However, the community structure of the endophytic fungi significantly differed among sites, suggesting that the site characteristics affected the community composition of the endophytic fungi colonizing the roots of C. longibracteata. Our findings will aid in developing methods involving the use of symbiotic fungi for orchid conservation and restoration in native habitats.

Keyword

Cephalanthera longibracteata; Fungal endophytes; Leptodontidium orchidicola; Mycorrhizas; Orchids

MeSH Terms

Colon
DNA, Ribosomal
Ecosystem
Fungi
Germination
Korea*
Mycorrhizae
Sequence Analysis
DNA, Ribosomal