Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Division of Plant Biotechnology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Agricultural and Natural Resources College, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yazd, Yazd, Iran.
3
Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural and Natural Resources College, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
4
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Agricultural and Natural Resources College, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Improvement of seed germination and seedling growth under stresses has made the seed treatment with endophytic fungi a promising method for mitigating climate change conditions. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of Aegilops endophyte fungi on the germination of bread wheat germination under drought conditions. Alternaria chlamydospora, Fusarium equiseti, and Curvularia spicifera fungi were isolated from Aegilops tauschii, Ae. triuncialis, and Ae. Cylindrical species, respectively. The identity of these endophytes was confirmed by using the ITS4 and ITS1F primers towards amplifying ITS nrDNA genomic region, followed by morphological survey. Germination characteristics of the French RENAN variety of wheat were investigated under PEG 6K drought (-4.5 bar) and the fungal treatments in M medium. PEG-induced drought decreased germination traits such as germination percentage, germination rate, germination energy, germination index, and seedling growth traits (length and weight), and also seed vigor index. C. spicifera fungus often had no effect on germination traits. F. equiseti fungus due to its pathogenic nature, caused a decrease in the germination characteristics, especially under stress conditions. On the contrary, A. chlamydospora fungus often led to an improvement of seedling length, seedling weight, and germination indices under both humidity normal and drought conditions. In general, endophyte A. chlamydospora could improve wheat germination indicators and seedling growth under drought conditions, and therefore there is a potential to use it in the seed priming.
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