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. 2016 Mar 31:7:403.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00403. eCollection 2016.

Spatial and Temporal Variation of Cultivable Communities of Co-occurring Endophytes and Pathogens in Wheat

Morgane Comby  1 , Sandrine Lacoste  2 , Fabienne Baillieul  3 , Camille Profizi  4 , Joëlle Dupont  2
Affiliations

Spatial and Temporal Variation of Cultivable Communities of Co-occurring Endophytes and Pathogens in Wheat

Morgane Comby et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the diversity of endogenous microbes from wheat (Triticum aestivum) and to study the structure of its microbial communities, with the ultimate goal to provide candidate strains for future evaluation as potential biological control agents against wheat diseases. We sampled plants from two wheat cultivars, Apache and Caphorn, showing different levels of susceptibility to Fusarium head blight, a major disease of wheat, and tested for variation in microbial diversity and assemblages depending on the host cultivar, host organ (aerial organs vs. roots) or host maturity. Fungi and bacteria were isolated using a culture dependent method. Isolates were identified using ribosomal DNA sequencing and we used diversity analysis to study the community composition of microorganisms over space and time. Results indicate great species diversity in wheat, with endophytes and pathogens co-occurring inside plant tissues. Significant differences in microbial communities were observed according to host maturity and host organs but we did not find clear differences between host cultivars. Some species isolated have not yet been reported as wheat endophytes and among all species recovered some might be good candidates as biological control agents, given their known effects toward plant pathogens.

Keywords: Triticum aestivum; bacteria; biological control agents; diversity; fungi; microbial communities.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Abundance of isolates for 70 species isolated from inner tissues of 24 wheat plants. Stars indicate known pathogens of wheat.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of microbial assemblages in wheat plants depending on the host cultivar, using correspondence analysis. Based on non-singleton taxa. Components 1 and 2 of the correspondence analysis explained respectively 12.9 and 11.3% of the total inertia.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Species richness within aerial organs (L, leaves; Gl, Glumes; S, stems; A, anthers; K, kernels; Ra, rachis) and roots (R) from two wheat cultivars (Caphorn and Apache) at heading, flowering, and mealy ripe stages of development. Numbers indicated above bars correspond to the number of species recovered from the sample considered.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of microbial assemblages in wheat plants either in roots or aerial organs, using correspondence analysis. Based on non-singleton taxa. Components 1 and 2 of the correspondence analysis explained respectively, 12.9 and 11.3% of the total inertia.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Comparison of microbial assemblages in wheat plants depending on host maturity, using correspondence analysis. Based on non-singleton taxa. Components 1 and 2 of the correspondence analysis explained respectively, 12.9 and 11.3% of the total inertia.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Evolution of species during wheat development (H, Heading; F, Flowering; M, Mealy Ripe) in the two cultivars Caphorn and Apache. Only relevant species are reported.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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