Annals of Applied Biology (2009) 155, 391-401

J.G. Maciá-Vicente, L.C. Rosso, A. Ciancio, H.-B. Jansson and L.V. Lopez-Llorca (2009)
Colonisation of barley roots by endophytic Fusarium equiseti and Pochonia chlamydosporia: Effects on plant growth and disease
Annals of Applied Biology 155 (3), 391-401
Abstract: Colonisation of plant roots by endophytic fungi may confer benefits to the host such as protection against abiotic or biotic stresses or plant growth promotion. The exploitation of these properties is of great relevance at an applied level, either to increase yields of agricultural crops or in reforestation activities. Fusarium equiseti is a naturally occurring endophyte in vegetation under stress in Mediterranean ecosystems. Pochonia chlamydosporia is a nematode egg-parasitic fungus with a worldwide distribution. Both fungi have the capacity to colonise roots of non-host plants endophytically and to protect them against phytopathogenic fungi under laboratory conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the root population dynamics of these fungi under non-axenic practical conditions. Both fungal species were inoculated into barley roots. Their presence in roots and effects on plant growth and incidence of disease caused by the pathogen Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici were monitored periodically. Both fungi colonised barley roots endophytically over the duration of the experiment and competed with other existing fungal root colonisers. Furthermore, colonisation of roots by P. chlamydosporia promoted plant growth. Although a clear suppressive effect on disease could not be detected, F. equiseti isolates reduced the mean root lesion length caused by the pathogen. Results of this work suggest that both F. equiseti and P. chlamydosporia are long-term root endophytes that confer beneficial effects to the host plant.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Jose G. Maciá-Vicente, Aurelio Ciancio, Luis V. Lopez-Llorca, Hans-Börje Jansson

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Gaeumannomyces graminis	Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
Pochonia chlamydosporia (antagonist)
Fusarium equiseti (antagonist)	Gaeumannomyces graminis	Barley (Hordeum vulgare)