Diversity, community composition, and bioactivity of cultivable fungal endophytes in saline and dry soils in deserts

Abstract

Fungal endophyte communities are poorly investigated in extreme habitats such as deserts. We used cultivation and Sanger sequencing to investigate the effects of environmental variables on the endophytic fungal communities of eight Iranian desert plants. Host species was the main factor shaping the endophyte composition, while soil type additionally affected endophytes of above- and below-ground organs. Redundancy analysis showed that soil pH and electric conductivity determine fungal endophyte communities in plants in dry and saline soils. In a follow-up experiment, we showed that these endophytes could be used in crop production under salinity/drought stress and as biocontrol agents. Although compared to other ecosystems, the endophytic fungi associated with the studied Iranian desert plants are of low diversity, our results suggest that they probably play an essential role in the survival of their hosts. Further investigation is necessary to evaluate the potential benefits and applicability of such endophytes in agricultural practices in drylands. • Host species is the most important factor shaping the endophytic communities. • Soil type and properties affect the below- and above-ground fungal communities. • In the dry soils, pHe mostly affect endophytic fungal communities. • In the saline soils, EC and ECe mostly affect endophytic fungal communities. • Extreme-habitat-adapted endophytes confer abiotic stress tolerance to non host plant.