title: Endophytic fungi from selected varieties of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) and corn (Zea mays L.) grown in an agricultural area of Argentina.
abstract: Endophytic fungi are ubiquitous and live within host plants without causing any noticeable symptoms of disease. Little is known about the diversity and function of fungal endophytes in plants, particularly in economically important species. The aim of this study was to determine the identity and diversity of endophytic fungi in leaves, stems and roots of soybean and corn plants and to determine their infection frequencies. Plants were collected in six areas of the provinces of Buenos Aires and Entre Ríos (Argentina) two areas were selected for sampling corn and four for soybean. Leaf, stem and root samples were surface-sterilized, cut into 1cm(2) pieces using a sterile scalpel and aseptically transferred to plates containing potato dextrose agar plus antibiotics. The species were identified using both morphological and molecular data. Fungal endophyte colonization in soybean plants was influenced by tissue type and varieties whereas in corn plants only by tissue type. A greater number of endophytes were isolated from stem tissues than from leaves and root tissues in both species of plants. The most frequently isolated species in all soybean cultivars was Fusarium graminearum and the least isolated one was Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. Furthermore, the most frequently isolated species in corn plants was Aspergillus terreus whereas the least isolated one was Aspergillus flavus. These results could be relevant in the search for endophytic fungi isolates that could be of interest in the control of agricultural pests.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Carlos Spegazzini (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo-Universidad Nacional de La Plata), La Plata, Argentina. Electronic address: leticiarusso@conicet.gov.ar.
authors.forename: María L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Carlos Spegazzini (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo-Universidad Nacional de La Plata), La Plata, Argentina; Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE), CCT La Plata CONICET-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sebastián A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pelizza
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Carlos Spegazzini (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo-Universidad Nacional de La Plata), La Plata, Argentina; Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas (CIC) de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marta N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Funcional y Biotecnología (BIOLAB)-CICBA-INBIOTEC, Facultad de Agronomía de Azul, Cátedra de Microbiología, UNCPBA, República de Italia 780, 7300 Azul, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sebastián A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stenglein
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Carlos Spegazzini (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo-Universidad Nacional de La Plata), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Botánica Carlos Spegazzini (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo-Universidad Nacional de La Plata), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Scorsetti
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina; D044822:Biodiversity; D060026:Endophytes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000072480:Farms; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000382:microbiology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013025:Glycine max / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Corn; Diversidad; Diversity; Endophytic fungi; Hongos endófitos; Maíz; Soja; Soybean