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Epichloë Endophyte Infection Changes the Root Endosphere Microbial Community Composition of Leymus Chinensis Under Both Potted and Field Growth Conditions

  • Plant Microbe Interactions
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Abstract

Epichloë endophytes can not only affect the growth and resistance of the host plant but also change the biotic and abiotic properties of the soil where the host is situated. Here, we used endophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) Leymus chinensis as plant materials, to study the microbial diversity and composition in the host root endosphere and rhizosphere soil under both pot and field conditions. The results showed that endophyte infection did not affect the diversity of either bacteria or fungi in the root zone. There were significant differences in both bacterial and fungal communities between the root endosphere and the rhizosphere, and between the field and the pot, while endophytes only affected root endosphere microbial communities. The bacterial families affected by endophyte infection changed from 29.07% under field conditions to 40% under pot conditions. In contrast, the fungal families affected by endophyte infection were maintained at nearly 50% under both field and pot conditions. That is to say, bacterial communities in the root endosphere were more strongly affected by environmental conditions, and in comparison, the fungal communities were more strongly affected by species specificity. Endophytes significantly affected the fungal community composition of the host root endosphere in both potted and field plants, only the effect was more obvious in potted plants. Endophyte infection increased the abundance of three fungal families (Thelebolaceae, Herpotrichiellaceae and Trimorphomycetaceae) under both field and potted conditions. In potted plants, endophytes also altered the dominant fungi from pathogenic Pleosporales to saprophytic Chaetomiaceae. Endophyte infection increased the relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and saprophytic fungi, especially under potted conditions.

Overall, endophytes significantly affected the fungal community composition of the host root endosphere in both potted and field plants. Endophytes had a greater impact on root endosphere microorganisms than the rhizosphere, a greater impact on fungal communities than bacteria, and a greater impact on root endosphere microorganisms under potted conditions than at field sites.

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Acknowledgements

We greatly appreciate the support of Abaga banner grassland workstation for their invaluable assistance on this experiment.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31971425).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China

    Jing Chen, Yongkang Deng, Xinhe Yu, Yubao Gao & Anzhi Ren

  2. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China

    Guanghong Wu

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  1. Jing Chen
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Contributions

Jing Chen was involved in investigation, visualization, writing—original draft. Yongkang Deng performed data curation. Xinhe Yu contributed to software. Guanghong Wu provided methodology, review & editing. Yubao Gao performed conceptualization. Anzhi Ren did conceptualization, funding acquisition, supervision, writing—review & editing.

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Correspondence to Guanghong Wu or Anzhi Ren.

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Chen, J., Deng, Y., Yu, X. et al. Epichloë Endophyte Infection Changes the Root Endosphere Microbial Community Composition of Leymus Chinensis Under Both Potted and Field Growth Conditions. Microb Ecol 85, 604–616 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-022-01983-0

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