Fungal endophytes and their interaction with plant pathogens: a review

I Zabalgogeazcoa

doi:10.5424/sjar/200806s1-382

Abstract

Endophytes are fungi which infect plants without causing symptoms. Fungi belonging to this group are ubiquitous, and plant species not associated to fungal endophytes are not known. In addition, there is a large biological diversity among endophytes, and it is not rare for some plant species to be hosts of more than one hundred different endophytic species. Different mechanisms of transmission, as well as symbiotic lifestyles occur among endophytic species. Latent pathogens seem to represent a relatively small proportion of endophytic assemblages, also composed by latent saprophytes and mutualistic species. Some endophytes are generalists, being able to infect a wide range of hosts, while others are specialists, limited to one or a few hosts. Endophytes are gaining attention as a subject for research and applications in Plant Pathology. This is because in some cases plants associated to endophytes have shown increased resistance to plant pathogens, particularly fungi and nematodes. Several possible mechanisms by which endophytes may interact with pathogens are discussed in this review.

Highlights

Endophytes are fungi which infect plants without causing symptoms
Cause of fescue toxicosis, a syndrome suffered by cattle fed in pastures of the grass Festuca arundinacea (Bacon et al, 1977). These researchers found that, they showed no symptoms, most plants of F. arundinacea from pastures where cattle suffered intoxications, had their leaves and stems systemically colonized by a fungus. Afterwards, this fungus was identified as Neotyphodium coenophialum
Clavicipitaceae), it was found that infected plants contained several toxic alkaloids, and that Neotyphodium species can be beneficial to their plant hosts, increasing their tolerance of biotic and abiotic stress factors (Schardl et al, 2004)

Summary

Introduction

Endophytes are fungi which infect plants without causing symptoms Fungi belonging to this group are ubiquitous, and plant species not associated to fungal endophytes are not known. Los hongos endofíticos están recibiendo atención por parte del mundo de la Fitopatología debido a que en algunos casos se ha observado un aumento de la resistencia a patógenos debido a la presencia de endofitos. An important year in the history of endophyte research is 1977, when Charles Bacon and colleagues found the cause of fescue toxicosis, a syndrome suffered by cattle fed in pastures of the grass Festuca arundinacea (Bacon et al, 1977) These researchers found that, they showed no symptoms, most plants of F. arundinacea from pastures where cattle suffered intoxications, had their leaves and stems systemically colonized by a fungus. In a given plant species, individuals without endophytes are rare

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Conclusion