Effects of germplasm and host tree trunk on endophytic fungal communities in epiphytic Dendrobium catenatum

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of germplasm and host tree trunk on endophytic fungal communities in epiphytic Dendrobium catenatum, a total of 3 835 isolates were recovered from roots, stems and leaves of four D. catenatum germplasms attached to one kind of host tree trunk and one germplasm attached to four kinds of epiphyte-host tree trunks. A total of 152 taxa were identified and classified based on the fungal cultural characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of ITS sequences. The taxa were assigned to 60 genera, 35 families, 21 orders and 5 classes of 2 phyla. The results indicated that D. catenatum cultivated in stereo cultivation harbor variety of fungi. The dominant fungal groups were different between Lin'an and Yiwu. Moreover, several groups showed geographical specificity, such as Arthrinium, Coniochaeta, Fusarium, Neofusicoccum and Zopfiella only dominating in Panshan of Lin'an, while Alternaria, Bjerkandera, Cercophora, Nigrospora and Trichoderma only dominating in Shangxi of Yiwu. There was no significant difference in diversity or species richness of endophytic fungi neither among germplasm nor host tree trunk. However, the richness and diversity indices exhibited a strong dependence on tissue type (P<0.05). The germplasm and host tree trunk impact the distribution patterns of endophytic fungi less than tissue type. Nevertheless, the relative frequencies of the dominant fungal groups were different among germplasms or host tree trunk types. Furthermore, there were some fungal species specific to certain germplasm or host tree trunk. This might be due to the distinctions in growth traits and chemical compositions of D. catenatum owning to the differences in D. catenatumgenetic background and microenvironment of host tree. Most of fungal taxa exhibit tissue specificity or preference. These results provide the basis for the study on the relationship between endophytic fungi and D. catenatum in stereo cultivation mode.