Abstract Detail

Poster Session

Skaltsas, Demetra [1], Castlebury, Lisa A. [2], Chaverri, Priscila [1].

Diversity of endophytes isolated from two tropical euphorbiaceous host genera: Hevea and Micandra.

Hevea brasiliensis is the primary species for tapped natural rubber. Plantation grown trees suffer from a variety of diseases that reduce production or destroy entire plantation areas. Endophytes obtained from the wild that have a highly specialized relationship with their hosts are considered ideal candidates for developing biological controls against diseases of that host. The objectives of this project were to (1) characterize and compare the diversity of culturable and unculturable endophytes obtained from wild Hevea spp. and Micrandra spp. (Euphorbiaceae), and (2) explore host preference or host recurrence across selected species from Hevea and its sister genus, Micrandra. Plant tissue samples were collected from adult and seedling trees located in the Amazon basin (Peru and Brazil). DNA was extracted from adult sapwood tissue and ITS2 was amplified. Sequencing was performed on an Illumina MiSeq. Adult sapwood tissue was also plated onto PDA⁺.  Seedling twigs were plated onto PDA⁺. Isolated fungal endophytes were identified using ITS nuclear ribosomal DNA.  In the adult trees, Hypocreales (Ascomycota) were by far the most abundant group using both methods. Trichoderma spp., a well known mycoparasite, was the most abundant using culturing techniques and Acremonium cf. strictum using metagenomics. In seedlings, Diaporthales were the most abundant group. Interestingly, no Trichoderma species were isolated from the seedlings. Understanding the fungal diversity, host associations or preferences, and spatial distribution of Hevea and related endophytes may provide additional tools for an integrated approach to disease management of plantation grown trees.

1 - University of Maryland, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 2012 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
2 - US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural research Service, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA

Keywords:
disease management
endophyte.

Presentation Type: Offered Paper - Poster
Session: P5
Location: Lincoln Room/Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
Date: Monday, June 9th, 2014
Time: 8:00 PM
Number: P5007
Abstract ID:219
Candidate for Awards:None