Mycorrhizal fungi associated with Codonorchis lessonii (Brongn.) Lindl., a terrestrial orchid from Chile

Authors

  • GUILLERMO PEREIRA Departamento de Ciencias y Tecnología Vegetal, Campus Los Ángeles, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 234, Los Ángeles, Chile
  • LAURA M. SUZ Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond Surrey, TW9 3DS, UK.
  • VERÓNICA ALBORNOZ Departamento de Ciencias y Tecnología Vegetal, Campus Los Ángeles, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 234, Los Ángeles, Chile.
  • CHRISTIAN ROMERO Programa Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile.
  • LEONARDO GARCÍA Campo Experimental Valle del Guadiana, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP). Durango, México. Programa Doctorado en Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales. Casilla 154-C, Concepción, Chile.
  • VICTORIA LEIVA Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Campus Curauma, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso, Chile.
  • CRISTIAN ATALA Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Campus Curauma, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso, Chile.

Keywords:

Ceratobasidium, Ceratorhiza, ITS fungal barcode, orchid fungi, terrestrial orchids, Tulasnellaceae

Abstract

Almost all orchid species depend on association with fungal partners. These fungal species facilitate orchid seed germination
and promote growth and possibly stress tolerance in adult plants, both in the field and laboratory conditions. Codonorchis
lessonii is a terrestrial orchid, endemic to southern Chile and Argentina with a currently unknown conservation status.
Previous studies have reported Rhizoctonia-like fungi associated with C. lessonii in Argentina, but their fungal partners
in Chilean populations are unknown. This study aims to characterize and isolate the mycorrhizal fungi associated with
adult individuals of C. lessonii from three different populations in Central-South Chile. Root sections showing pelotons
were used for the isolation and identification of the fungal taxa. Radial fungal growth was measured for all mycelial
isolates. The presence of binucleate cells placed all isolates within the families Ceratobasidiaceae and Tulasnellaceae
and the identification was confirmed by molecular analysis. Fungal isolates belonging to Ceratobasidiaceae grew at a
higher rate than those from Tulasnellaceae. Phylogenetic analyses showed that different fungal partners associate with this
orchid, suggesting relatively low specificity. The isolation and identification of the fungal partners of C. lessonii could help
understand its ecology and contribute in future restoration and propagation initiatives for the species.

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Published

2018-06-30

How to Cite

PEREIRA, G. ., SUZ, L. M., ALBORNOZ, V. ., ROMERO, . C. ., GARCÍA, . L. ., LEIVA, V., & ATALA, . C. . (2018). Mycorrhizal fungi associated with Codonorchis lessonii (Brongn.) Lindl., a terrestrial orchid from Chile. Gayana Botánica, 75(1), 447-458. Retrieved from https://revistas.udec.cl/index.php/gayana_botanica/article/view/3759

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