Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.2478/v10184-011-0056-3

Fungal associations in gametophytes and young sporophytic roots of the fern Nephrolepis exaltata

Thangavelu Muthukumar ; Root and Soil Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, Tamilnadu, India.
Kandasamy Prabha ; Root and Soil Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, Tamilnadu, India.

Abstract

Information is limited on the presence of endophytic fungal associations in green gametophytes and young sporophytes of extant ferns. Nothing is known about their presence in Polypodiales, the largest order among extant ferns. We screened chlorophyllous gametophytes and young sporophytes of Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott., (Lomariopsidaceae, Polypodiales) growing naturally on soil, brick and coir for the presence of fungal endophytes. Gametophytes and young sporophytes growing on different substrates were invariably colonized by septate endophytic fungi. Hyaline or brown, regularly septate, inter- or intracellular hyphae with moniliform cells or microsclerotia characterized septate endophytic fungi. However, only the roots of young sporophytes growing on soil and bricks harboured arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The AM morphology conformed to the intermediate type with intracellular hyphal coils, arbusculate coils and intercellular hyphae. No AM fungal spores could be retrieved from the soil on which gametophytes and young sporophytes were growing. The observations in this study support the idea that the septate fungal endophytes could confer an ecological advantage on colonized individuals, especially on nutrient deficient substrates.

Keywords

Nephrolepis exaltata; Gametophyte; Sporophyte; Arbuscular mycorrhiza; Septate endophytic fungi

Hrčak ID:

79034

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/79034

Publication date:

27.3.2012.

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