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Evidence for leaf endophyte regulation of root symbionts: effect of Neotyphodium endophytes on the pre-infective state of mycorrhizal fungi

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Abstract

Neotyphodium endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are common constituents of natural grasslands. The plant–endophyte symbiosis can introduce changes in soil conditions that affect the density and activity of different functional groups of soil organisms. In the present work we performed in vitro assays to evaluate the effect of root and endophyte exudates on the pre-infective state of mycorrhizal fungi (Gigaspora margarita and G. rosea). Plant roots of Bromus setifolius from populations of Patagonia, and four strains of Neotyphodium were used to obtain the exudates. Root exudates of infected plants, at a high concentration, significantly increased AMF hyphal branches and length relative to exudates from naturally endophyte free plants. The effect of Neotyphodium endophyte exudates on AMF mycelial length varied depending on strain and the concentration used, suggesting a differential interaction between endophyte and AMF species. AMF hyphal branches were increased by Neotyphodium fungal exudates in both mycorrhizal species. A few previous studies have suggested that Neotyphodium endophytes can reduce mycorrhizal sporulation and colonization of host roots in commonly-cultivated agronomic hosts. In this study we report the opposite effect in B. setifolius. This study reports the direct and positive effect of root exudates from plants in symbiosis with Neotyphodium, on AMF pre-infective state. Further, identical effects were detected using exudates from Neotyphodium endophytes.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by University of Buenos Aires UBACyT, CONICET and ANPCyT, PROPLAME-PRHIDEB-CONICET: Publication no. 181. We thank James White Jr. for critical review and comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lab. de Micología, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires & PROPLAME-PRHIDEB-CONICET, Av. Intendente Güiraldes 2160. Pab. II, 4° piso, Cdad. Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    M. Victoria Novas & Leopoldo J. Iannone

  2. Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Leopoldo J. Iannone

  3. Lab. Microbiología del Suelo, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, & INBA-CONICET, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Alicia M. Godeas & J. Martin Scervino

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  1. M. Victoria Novas
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  2. Leopoldo J. Iannone
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  3. Alicia M. Godeas
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  4. J. Martin Scervino
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Correspondence to M. Victoria Novas.

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M. Victoria Novas and J. Martin Scervino contributed equally to this work.

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Novas, M.V., Iannone, L.J., Godeas, A.M. et al. Evidence for leaf endophyte regulation of root symbionts: effect of Neotyphodium endophytes on the pre-infective state of mycorrhizal fungi. Symbiosis 55, 19–28 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-011-0140-4

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