Negative effects on survival and performance of Norway spruce seedlings colonized by dark septate root endophytes are primarily isolate-dependent

Summary Root endophytes are common and genetically highly diverse suggesting important ecological roles. Yet, relative to above‐ground endophytes, little is known about them. Dark septate endophytic fungi of the Phialocephala fortinii s.l.–Acephala applanata species complex (PAC) are ubiquitous root...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental microbiology 2011-09, Vol.13 (9), p.2508-2517
Main Authors: Tellenbach, Christoph, Grünig, Christoph R., Sieber, Thomas N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ascomycota - genetics
Ascomycota - growth & development
Ascomycota - pathogenicity
DNA, Fungal - genetics
Endophytes - growth & development
Ericaceae
Genetic Variation
Genotype
Geography
Phialocephala fortinii
Phylogeny
Picea - microbiology
Picea abies
Plant Diseases - microbiology
Plant Roots - microbiology
Seedlings - microbiology
Virulence
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Summary:Summary Root endophytes are common and genetically highly diverse suggesting important ecological roles. Yet, relative to above‐ground endophytes, little is known about them. Dark septate endophytic fungi of the Phialocephala fortinii s.l.–Acephala applanata species complex (PAC) are ubiquitous root colonizers of conifers and Ericaceae, but their ecological function is largely unknown. Responses of Norway spruce seedlings of two seed provenances to inoculations with isolates of four PAC species were studied in vitro. In addition, isolates of Phialocephala subalpina from two populations within and one outside the natural range of Norway spruce were also included to study the effect of the geographic origin of P. subalpina on host response. The interaction of PAC with Norway spruce ranged from neutral to highly virulent and was primarily isolate‐dependent. Variation in virulence was much higher within than among species, nonetheless only isolates of P. subalpina were highly virulent. Disease caused by P. subalpina genotypes from the native range of Norway spruce was more severe than that induced by genotypes from outside the natural distribution of Norway spruce. Virulence was not correlated with the phylogenetic relatedness of the isolates but was positively correlated with the extent of fungal colonization as measured by quantitative real‐time PCR.
ISSN:1462-2912
1462-2920
DOI:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02523.x