| Abstract [eng] |
Endophytic fungi are able to colonize the internal tissues of plants and are known for their potential to produce biologically active volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs secreted by endophytes participate in plant physiological processes. Increased root and shoot growth, changes in plant architecture are observed under the influence of VOCs, and they are also known to provide resistance to abiotic and biotic stress. Due to their ability to promote the development of plant roots and shoots, endophytes and the VOCs they produce could reduce the environmental damage caused by chemical fertilizers by promoting plant growth. Endophytic fungi and their metabolites have been studied for several decades, but there is still a lack of information about their properties and the impact they have on plant growth. The aim of this work was to test an in vitro method using spring barley and clover as model species and to determine the effect of volatile organic compounds released by endophytic fungi on the growth of roots, shoots and root hairs and possible links with the secondary metabolites produced. The aim was also to evaluate the effect of fungal suspension on the growth of olive roots and shoots and the effect of seed inoculation on barley growth. In this study, 6 different endophytic fungal species belonging to the phylum Acomycota, found in the roots of herbaceous plants, were tested – Epicoccum nigrum, Microdochium bolleyi, Plectosphaerella cucumerina, Cadophora fastigiata, Cordyceps fumosorosea, Chaetomium funicola. The tested in vitro plate-in-plate method was effective – in the closed environment created in the system, barley seedlings were exposed to volatile substances released by the fungi. VOCs released by Epicoccum nigrum, Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Cadophora fastigiata, Cordyceps fumosorosea fungi had a positive effect on the growth of barley roots and root hairs. VOCs from Cadophora fastigiata, Cordyceps fumosorosea and Plectosphaerella cucumerina promoted the elongation of red clover roots and biomass growth. Compared to the control, clover root hairs were 1.88 times more under the influence of Cadophora fastigiata. A total of 51 different VOC compounds were identified in the VOCs of Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Cadophora fastigiata fungi using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method, including terpenes and alkanes, known in the literature to have a stimulating effect on plant growth. Tested inoculation by exposing seeds to suspensions of fungal spores revealed a positive effect of the Cordyceps fumosorosea fungus inoculum on the growth of spring barley. Cadophora fastigiata inoculum promoted olive shoot development, while Plectosphaerella cucumerina led to faster leaf growth. The results obtained in the work allow us to predict further research directions in deepening and expanding knowledge about the influence of Ascomycota endophytic fungi on plant growth. |
