Fungal endophytes trigger Achnatherum inebrians germination ability against environmental stresses

Abstract

Fungal endophytes inference a significant role in the germination of Achnatherum inebrians. It is important to find out the best-known conditions for its germination. In this study, germination percentage of A. inebriansseeds infected with Epichloë gansuensis and non-infected seeds were tested under five salinity concentrations (100 mM, 200 mM, 300 mM, 400 mM and 500 mM) and five water pH levels (pH = 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) with distilled water (pH = 6.5) as a control. These treatments were carried out in the presence of constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 °C) under constant light exposure and alternating temperatures (15/5, 20/10, 25/15, 30/20 and 35/25 °C) for 12 h light: 12 h dark photoperiod. Germination percentage was calculated after 14 days of incubation under these programmed conditions. Increase in salinity resulted in a gradual decrease in germination percentage while increase in pH up to 7 resulted in increased germination. Germination of endophyte infected and non-infected seeds were increased at 20 °C and 25/15 °C for constant light and 12:12 h photoperiod. Endophyte infected seeds were found to exhibit the most significant results as compared to non-infected seeds under varying range of salinity, pH, light, photoperiod and temperature indicating that endophyte infection in A. inebrians seeds increased the germination percentage and survival of seeds with the ability to tolerate stress condition.