title: Understanding colonization and proliferation potential of endophytes and pathogenin plantavia plating, polymerase chain reaction and ergosterol assay.
abstract: This study aimed to establish the colonization behavior and proliferation potential of three endophytes and one pathogenGanoderma boninense(Gb) introduced into oil palm ramets (host model). The endophytes selected wereDiaporthe phaseolorum(WAA02),Trichoderma asperellum(T2), andPenicillium citrinum(BTF08). Ramets were first inoculated with 100 mL of fungal cells (106cfu mL-1) via soil drenching. For the next 7 days, ramets were sampled and subjected to three different assays to detect and identify fungal colonization, and establish their proliferation potentialin planta. Plate assay revealed the presence of endophytes in root, stem and leaf tissues within 7 days after inoculation. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) detected and identified the isolates from the plant tissues. The ergosterol assay (via high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) confirmed the presence of endophytes and Gbin planta. The increase in ergosterol levels throughout 49 days was however insignificant, suggesting that proliferation may be absent or may occur very slowlyin planta. This study strongly suggests that the selected endophytes could colonize the host upon inoculation, but proliferation occurs at a slower rate, which may subsequently influence the biocontrol expression of endophytes against the pathogen.
authors.affiliation: School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yiing Yng
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sadequr
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Adeline Su Yien
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ting
keywords: Colonization; Endophytes; Ergosterol; High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC); Oil palm