Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance
In a search for efficient fungal endophytes that can promote crop production and/or increase crop tolerance to abiotic stress, we isolated and tested various species harbored by wild plants. Sixty-seven endophytic fungal isolates were obtained from drought stressed, poor soil habitats, and inland hi...
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doaj-a307aea089d74b06913bc5651faafbf42020-11-25T02:59:55ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472020-07-01987787710.3390/plants9070877Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt ToleranceMustafa Morsy0Blake Cleckler1Hayden Armuelles-Millican2Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL 35470, USADepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL 35470, USADepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL 35470, USAIn a search for efficient fungal endophytes that can promote crop production and/or increase crop tolerance to abiotic stress, we isolated and tested various species harbored by wild plants. Sixty-seven endophytic fungal isolates were obtained from drought stressed, poor soil habitats, and inland high salt areas. We extensively tested the roles of <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. and <i>Penicillium </i>sp. isolates in improving tomato growth and yield. Under greenhouse and field trails, <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. and <i>Penicillium </i>sp. endophytes proved effective in conferring positive benefits to tomatoes placed under stress as well as under normal growing conditions. <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. conferred tolerance to tomatoes placed under drought stress in addition to enhancing overall plant growth and fruit yield in comparison to non-symbiotic plants under drought stress. <i>Penicillium </i>sp. conferred tolerance to tomatoes placed under 300 mM salinity stress in addition to enhancing root biomass in comparison to non-symbiotic plants. Both endophytes proved efficient in enhancing plant growth, stress tolerance, recovery, and fruit yield under optimal experimental conditions in comparison to non-symbiotic plants. Field testing of tomato yield showed increased yield of symbiotic tomatoes compared to non-symbiotic ones. This data suggests that both <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. and <i>Penicillium </i>sp. share a promising potential for improving future agricultural production, particularly with the projected changes in climate in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/7/877fungal endophyteabiotic stressdroughtsalinity<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Mustafa Morsy Blake Cleckler Hayden Armuelles-Millican |
spellingShingle |
Mustafa Morsy Blake Cleckler Hayden Armuelles-Millican Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance Plants fungal endophyte abiotic stress drought salinity <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> |
author_facet |
Mustafa Morsy Blake Cleckler Hayden Armuelles-Millican |
author_sort |
Mustafa Morsy |
title |
Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance |
title_short |
Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance |
title_full |
Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance |
title_fullStr |
Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fungal Endophytes Promote Tomato Growth and Enhance Drought and Salt Tolerance |
title_sort |
fungal endophytes promote tomato growth and enhance drought and salt tolerance |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Plants |
issn |
2223-7747 |
publishDate |
2020-07-01 |
description |
In a search for efficient fungal endophytes that can promote crop production and/or increase crop tolerance to abiotic stress, we isolated and tested various species harbored by wild plants. Sixty-seven endophytic fungal isolates were obtained from drought stressed, poor soil habitats, and inland high salt areas. We extensively tested the roles of <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. and <i>Penicillium </i>sp. isolates in improving tomato growth and yield. Under greenhouse and field trails, <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. and <i>Penicillium </i>sp. endophytes proved effective in conferring positive benefits to tomatoes placed under stress as well as under normal growing conditions. <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. conferred tolerance to tomatoes placed under drought stress in addition to enhancing overall plant growth and fruit yield in comparison to non-symbiotic plants under drought stress. <i>Penicillium </i>sp. conferred tolerance to tomatoes placed under 300 mM salinity stress in addition to enhancing root biomass in comparison to non-symbiotic plants. Both endophytes proved efficient in enhancing plant growth, stress tolerance, recovery, and fruit yield under optimal experimental conditions in comparison to non-symbiotic plants. Field testing of tomato yield showed increased yield of symbiotic tomatoes compared to non-symbiotic ones. This data suggests that both <i>Ampelomyces </i>sp. and <i>Penicillium </i>sp. share a promising potential for improving future agricultural production, particularly with the projected changes in climate in the future. |
topic |
fungal endophyte abiotic stress drought salinity <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/7/877 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mustafamorsy fungalendophytespromotetomatogrowthandenhancedroughtandsalttolerance AT blakecleckler fungalendophytespromotetomatogrowthandenhancedroughtandsalttolerance AT haydenarmuellesmillican fungalendophytespromotetomatogrowthandenhancedroughtandsalttolerance |
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