Pure culture of Metarhizium anisopliae LHL07 reprograms soybean to higher growth and mitigates salt stress.
Little is known about the role of endophytic fungi against abiotic stresses and isoflavonoids (IF) contents of soybean. In current study, we investigated the role of fungal endophytes on the growth of soybean under salt stress conditions. Pure cultures of nine endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of field-grown soybean plants, and their culture filtrates were screened on Waito-C and Dongjin-byeo rice cultivars; for identification of plant growth promoting fungal strains. It was observed that fungal isolate GMC-2B significantly promoted the growth of both Waito-C and Dongjin-byeo. GMC-2B was later identified as a new strain of Metarhizium anisopliae LHL07 on the basis of 18S rDNA sequences and phylogenetic analysis. Metarhizium anisopliae LHL07 inoculated soybean plants recorded significantly higher shoot length, shoot fresh and dry biomass, chlorophyll contents, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate and leaf area; under sodium chloride induced salt stress as compared to non-inoculated control plants. An elevated proline and reduced superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde contents in M. anisopliae LHL07 inoculated soybean plants demonstrated mitigation of salt induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, reduced abscisic acid and elevated jasmonic acid contents in soybean plants confirmed that lesser stress was convened to M. anisopliae inoculated-plants under salinity stress. We also assessed the role of M. anisopliae interaction on IF biosynthesis of soybean, and found significantly higher IF contents in M. anisopliae inoculated soybean plants. In conclusion, endophytic fungal interactions with soybean can be beneficial to improve soybean quality and quantity under salt affected agricultural systems.
School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 701-702, Republic of Korea.
Abdul Latif
AL
Khan
Muhammad
M
Hamayun
Sumera Afzal
SA
Khan
Sang-Mo
SM
Kang
Zabta Khan
ZK
Shinwari
Muhammad
M
Kamran
Shafiq
S
Ur Rehman
Jong-Guk
JG
Kim
In-Jung
IJ
Lee
D018533:Biomass; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D060026:Endophytes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D052981:Metarhizium / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D011392:Proline / Q000032:analysis; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012492:Salts / Q000633:toxicity*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012492:Salts; D002734:Chlorophyll; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D011392:Proline; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase