Survey of fungal endophyte microbiome diversity of barley genotypes grown in western Canada

Citation

Survey of fungal endophyte microbiome diversity of barley genotypes grown in western Canada.

Plain language summary

Fungal endophytes are microorganisms that inhabit plant tissues without causing apparent disease symptoms. In cereal crops, fungal endophytes have been isolated and shown potential as beneficial crop inoculants for improving productivity and functioning as biocontrol agents. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a cereal grain with a diverse range of bioactive substances and associated nutritional attributes gaining interest in human health.
In this study, we investigate the fungal endophyte microbiome of barley grains from four different genotypes grown in Brandon MB, Canada. The results evidence of diverse fungal endophytes identified in the grains of different barley genotypes, some of which have been previously studied for their interactions with the host and highlighted beneficial properties. These fungal endophytes may prove to be valuable in applications across agriculture and biotechnology.

Abstract

Fungal endophytes are microorganisms that inhabit plant tissues without causing apparent disease symptoms. In cereal crops, fungal endophytes have been isolated and shown potential as beneficial crop inoculants for improving productivity and functioning as biocontrol agents. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a cereal grain with a diverse range of bioactive substances and associated nutritional attributes gaining interest in human health.
In this study, we investigate the fungal endophyte microbiome of barley grains from four different genotypes grown in Brandon MB, Canada. The grains of each genotype were surface sterilized, DNA was extracted and metagenomics internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing was performed to examine fungal endophyte communities. Moreover the barley grains were subjected to culturing for the isolation of fungal endophytes which were then identified by ITS amplicon sequencing. Analysis revealed differential composition levels of unique fungal endophytes in the grains of the barley cultivars assessed, with a small community of Alternaria spp. shared by all cultivars. Furthermore, the majority of the culturable strains included Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp., and Fusarium spp.
These results provided evidence of diverse fungal endophytes identified in the grains of different barley genotypes, some of which have been previously studied for their interactions with the host and highlighted beneficial properties. These fungal endophytes may prove to be valuable in applications across agriculture and biotechnology.