How significant are endophytic fungi in bromeliad seeds and seedlings?

Céline Leroy (1) , Arthur Quymanh Maes (2) , Eliane Louisanna (3) , Nathalie Séjalon-Delmas (4)

1 UMR AMAP - Botanique et Modélisation de l'Architecture des Plantes et des Végétations
2 LRSV - Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales
3 ECOFOG - Ecologie des forêts de Guyane
4 Interactions Microbiennes dans la Rhizosphère et les Racines

In bromeliads, nothing is known about the associations fungi form with seeds and seedling roots. We investigated whether fungal associations occur in the seeds and seedling roots of two epiphytic Aechmea species, and we explored whether substrate and fungal associations contribute to seed germination, and seedling survival and performance after the first month of growth. We found a total of 21 genera and 77 species of endophytic fungi in the seeds and seedlings for both Aechmea species by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The fungal associations in seeds were found in the majority of corresponding seedlings, suggesting that fungi are transmitted vertically. Substrate quality modulated the germination and growth of seedlings, and beneficial endophytic fungi were not particularly crucial for germination but contributed positively to survival and growth. Overall, this study provides the first evidence of an endophytic fungal community in both the seeds and seedlings of two epiphytic bromeliads species that subsequently benefit plant growth.

Mots clés: Aechmea; Bromeliads; Endophytic fungi Fusarium spp.; Germination; Survival; Trichoderma spp.; Vertical transmission

Domaines: Systématique, phylogénie et taxonomie; Ecosystèmes; Botanique; Biodiversité et Ecologie

Céline Leroy, Arthur Quymanh Maes, Eliane Louisanna, Nathalie Séjalon-Delmas. How significant are endophytic fungi in bromeliad seeds and seedlings?: Effects on germination, survival and performance of two epiphytic plant species. Fungal Ecology, 2019, 39, pp.296-306. ⟨10.1016/j.funeco.2019.01.004⟩. ⟨hal-02137706⟩