Endophytic fungi, host genotype, and their interaction influence the growth and production of key chemical components of Dendrobium catenatum

• Published in: Fungal biology Vol. 124; no. 10; pp. 864 - 876
• Main Authors: Wu, Ling-Shang, Dong, Wei-Guo, Si, Jin-Ping, Liu, Jing-Jing, Zhu, Yu-Qiu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2020
• Subjects: biomass; breeding; chemical composition; coculture; cultivars; Dendrobium catenatum; endophytes; Endophytic fungi; Ethanol-soluble extractives; flavonoids; Flavonoids and phenols; fungi; genotype; growth traits; Guignardia; host plants; infection; information; Intraspecific genotype; leaves; Leptosphaeria; mycology; phenol; Polysaccharides; thickness; Tulasnella; Flavonoids and phenols; Dendrobium catenatum; Polysaccharides; Endophytic fungi; Intraspecific genotype; Ethanol-soluble extractives
• ISSN: 1878-6146; 1878-6162
• DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.07.002

To examine how host plant genotype, endophytic fungal species, and their interaction may affect growth and key chemical content and composition in an important orchid species, we assessed four Dendrobium catenatum cultivars co-cultured with three fungi previously isolated from D. catenatum. Fungal endophytes (Tulasnella sp., Leptosphaeria microscopica, and Guignardia sp.) specifically affected the growth and chemical composition of the four cultivars. Fungal infection significantly increased certain growth traits, especially mid-stem thickness, stem biomass, stem polysaccharide and ethanol-soluble extractive content, and leaf flavonoid and phenol content. Presence or abundance of some key chemical components was also altered by fungal treatment. These increases and alterations were highly dependent on the host genotype. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of Dendrobium and endophytic fungi interactions, and provide vital information for improving the development and use of endophytic fungi in D. catenatum breeding. •Effects of endophytes on performance of host intraspecific genotypes were examined.•Three endophytic fungi and four D. catenatum cultivars were co-cultured.•Some growth traits and specific chemical components were significantly influenced by fungi.•Performance variation depended on endophytes-plant intraspecific genotypes effects.