Global Ecology and Conservation
Volume 17, 2019

Do the fungi associated with roots of adult plants support seed germination? A case study on Dendrobium exile (Orchidaceae) (Article) (Open Access)

Meng Y.-Y. , Shao S.-C. , Liu S.-J. , Gao J.-Y.*
  • a Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
  • b Gardening and Horticulture Department, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
  • c CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
  • d Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China

Abstract

To obtain compatible fungi for symbiotic seed germination is a key step for seed-based orchid conservation. This is particularly important to the practice of restoration-friendly cultivation for conserving over-collected medicinal orchids, for example, many species of Dendrobium in China. In this study, we comparatively investigated the effects of fungi from roots and protocorms/seedlings on seed germination, protocorm formation and seedling development in Dendrobium exile. A total of 7 different fungal species were obtained, including three rhizoctonia fungi (Tulasnella sp. DerIV, Tulasnella sp. DerV and Tulasnella sp. DesI), three non-rhizoctonia fungi (Nodulisporium sp. DerI, Xylaria plebeja DerII, Colletotrichum sp. DerIII) and one unidentified fungus DesII. Among the three rhizoctonia fungi, DesI isolated from seedlings was more efficient at supporting seed germination up to seedlings than the two fungi (DerIV and DerV) isolated from adult roots. At 45 days of incubation, 70.93 ± 6.92% of seeds developed into seedlings in DesI treatment, while no seedlings were developed in the DerIV and DerV treatments. Our results indicated that orchids may need different fungal partners for seed symbiotic germination vs. adult plant development. The diverse fungi residing in the roots could have potentially diverse functions. © 2019 The Authors

Author Keywords

Dendrobium Restoration-friendly cultivation Mycorrhizal fungi Orchid conservation Symbiotic seed germination

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85062806843&doi=10.1016%2fj.gecco.2019.e00582&partnerID=40&md5=f95a8b202b420dc3dea25c278f6ebe5e
DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00582
ISSN: 23519894
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English