Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
PhD Student, Department of Plant Production and Genetic, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetic, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
3
Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
4
Associate Professor, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
Abstract
Endophytes are microorganisms that spend at least one stage of their life cycle into plants without causing any symptoms. This study was conducted to identify and survey diversify of endophytic fungi in Capparis spinosa. Sampling was performed from 10 areas. Four healthy plants were selected from each region based on a systematic random sampling design and Samples were taken from different plant tissues (including leaves, stems, roots and fruits). After surface disinfection, the samples were placed on medium and the obtained fungal isolates were purified. Isolates were identified by sequencing ITS1-5.8S-ITS2. Totally, 72 isolates were obtained, which include 6 orders and 10 genera. Among isolates, 95.83% belonged to Ascomycota and they were divided into six orders, namely; Eurotiales, Sordariales, Pleosporales, Diaporthales, Hypocreales and Mucorales. In this study, Alternaria sp. and Aspergillus tubingensis had the highest abundance and about half of the endophytic fungi (49.25) were isolated from the two mountainous regions of Khodafarin (East Azerbaijan) and Ab-Bar (Zanjan) which it seems to be the presence of endophytic fungi in plants in colder and mountainous areas is more than others. Also, the total percentage of colonization was 11.25% and the highest percentage of colonization was seen in root tissue (50.00%) and the lowest in fruit tissue (4.17%), which can increase the probability of the effect of coexistence of soil fungi in the vicinity of the root. Among the isolated species, Chaetomium globosum, Diaporthe foeniculina, Mucor circinelloides and Stemphyliu vesicarium are reported for the first time from Iran for Caper, and fungal species identified for the first time in the world are reported as Caper endophytic fungi.
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