Geographical and seasonal influences on the distribution of fungal endophytes in Laurus nobilis

Abstract

SummaryThe species composition of the endophytic mycobiota in bark, leaves and twigs of Laurus nobilis were studied in Western Anatolia. Four sampling sites were selected; one of which was sampled twice, in spring and autumn. About 3892 fungal isolates obtained grouped into 85 morphological types. The 11 dominant species, with isolation frequencies >1.5%, were Alternaria alternata, Botryosphaeria sarmentorum, Colletotrichum dematium, C. gloeosporioides, Hendersonula sp., Paraconiothyrium sp., Phoma sp., three species of Phomopsis and Seimatosporium lichenicola. Numbers of fungal species isolated per tree differed between the sampled sites. Isolation frequencies of the dominant species, and other less frequent species, were dependent on the sampling site. The degree of endophytic infection and the diversity of fungal species were significantly higher in spring. Frequencies of all dominant species depended significantly on season, except for Stemphylium sp. and S. lichenicola. Analysis of the total endophytic mycoflora of the sampled trees suggested that geographical factors affects the endophytic distribution patterns more significantly than seasonal factors.