title: Fungal endophytic communities on twigs of fast and slow growing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in northern Spain.
abstract: Most plant species harbour a diverse community of endophytic, but their role is still unknown in most cases, including ecologically and economically important tree species. This study describes the culturable fungal endophytic community of Pinus sylvestris L. twigs in northern Spain and its relationship with diametric growth of the host. In all, 360 twig samples were collected from 30 Scots pines in fifteen stands. Isolates were obtained from all twig samples and 43 fungal taxa were identified by morphogrouping and subsequent ITS rDNA sequencing. All isolates were Ascomycetes, being Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes the most abundant classes. Half of the species were host generalists while the others were conifer or pine specialists. We found three new endophytic species for the Pinaceae: Biscogniauxia mediterranea, Phaeomoniella effusa and Plectania milleri, and additional six new species for P. sylvestris: Daldinia fissa, Hypocrea viridescens, Nigrospora oryzae, Ophiostoma nigrocarpum, Penicillium melinii and Penicillium polonicum. The endophytic community of fast and slow growing trees showed differences in species composition, abundance and evenness, but not in diversity. Phoma herbarum was associated to fast growing trees and Hypocrea lixii to those growing slow. Our results support the hypothesis that some endophytic species may affect growth of P. sylvestris.
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, Avenida Madrid, 44, Campus La Yutera, Edificio E, 34071, Palencia, Castilla y León, Spain; Calabazanos Forest Health Centre (Junta de Castilla y León), Polígono industrial de Villamuriel, S/N, 34190, Villamuriel de Cerrato, Palencia, Spain. Electronic address: asanzros@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Antonio V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Sanz-Ros
authors.affiliation: The Finnish Forest Research Institute, PO Box 18 (Jokiniemenkuja 1), FI-01301, Vantaa, Finland.
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, Avenida Madrid, 44, Campus La Yutera, Edificio E, 34071, Palencia, Castilla y León, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: San Martín
authors.affiliation: Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, Avenida Madrid, 44, Campus La Yutera, Edificio E, 34071, Palencia, Castilla y León, Spain.
authors.forename: Julio J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Diez
mesh_terms: D058448:Biota; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D060026:Endophytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D041605:Pinus sylvestris / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
keywords: Diametric growth rate; Fungal diversity; Fungal evenness; Growth promoting; Internal transcribed spacers