Infection characteristics and diversity of dark septate endophytic fungi isolated from Lycium barbarum in Ningxia

Abstract:

[Background] Lycium barbarum is a traditional edible herb, and dark septate endophytes (DSE) is an important component of endophytic fungi in L. barbarum. [Objective] DSE strains were isolated from the roots of cultivated and wild varieties of L. barbarum in Ningxia. In order to analyze the diversity and the community constitution of DSE associated with L. barbarum and understand the colonization and distribution of DSE in L. barbarum. [Methods] The roots of Ningqi-1, Ningqi-3, Ningqi-5, Ningqi-6, Ningqi-7, Ningqi-8, L. barbarum var. auranticarpum and L. ruthenicummurr were collected from Ningxia wolfberry cultivation garden. Strains were identified by morphological characteristic and rDNA-ITS sequence, and DSE of roots from L. barbarum were validated by Koch’s Rule. [Results] DSE live as mircosclerotia in the roots of L. barbarum. In this paper, 279 DSE were isolated from roots of eight kinds of L. barbarum, belonging to 18 genera, which are rich in species diversity. Fusarium were a common and dominant genus in various breeds. The relative frequency was up to 85%. Monosporascus, Talaromyces and Earliella were firstly reported in L. barbarum. There were significant differences in biodiversity index, evenness index and Simpson’s index of DSE community among different varieties of L. barbarum. [Conclusion] DSE of L. barbarum were rich in resources of cultivated and wild varieties of L. barbarum, DSE could form a symbiotic relationship with L. barbarum and enhance the adaptability of wolfberry to the ecological environment.