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Photosynthetic rate of barley plants inoculated and non- inoculated with Piriformospora indica . The photosynthetic rate of barley (cv. Ingrid) was measured in P. indica colonized (black bars) and in non-colonized control plants (white bars). Values are means of three to four plants measured at three different light intensities. Error bars indicate standard deviation. Statistically significant differences between control and P. indica inoculated plants were detected only for the light intensity of 200 μ mol photons m -2 s -1 (Students t-test p <0.05)
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Root colonization by the basidiomycete fungus Piriformospora indica induces host plant tolerance against abiotic and biotic stress, and enhances growth and yield. As P. indica has a broad host range, it has been established as a model system to study beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Moreover, its properties led to the assumption that P. indic...
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... Currently, P. indica is widely discussed as a beneficial fungus in plants such as strawberry [7], longan [10], and rice [11]. Studies have shown that the growth parameters of barley [28], king grass [29], ryegrass [30], tobacco [31], African chrysanthemum [32], and maize [33] colonized by P. indica are higher than those of non-inoculated controls. Additionally, P. indica colonization can improve the nutritional quality of black rice [34], promote the germination and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana [35], and increase the aboveground and underground biomass of sweet potato plants [3]. ...
Numerous studies have shown that the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has a broad range of promoting effects on root development and plant growth in host plants. However, there are currently no reports on the application of this fungus on Cerasus humilis. This study first compared the colonization ability of P. indica on 11 C. humilis varieties and found that the colonization rate of this fungus on these varieties ranged from 90% to 100%, with the colonization rate of the varieties ‘09-01’ and ‘Nongda 7’ being as high as 100%. Subsequently, the effect of P. indica on root development and plant growth of C. humilis was investigated using cuttings of ‘09-01’ and ‘Nongda 7’ as materials. P. indica colonization was found to increase the biomass of ‘09-01’ and ‘Nongda 7’ plants; root activity, POD enzymes, and chlorophyll content were also significantly increased. In addition, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content in the roots of C. humilis plants increased after colonization, while jasmonic acid (JA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-car- boxylic acid (ACC) content decreased. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that P. indica can promote the growth of C. humilis plants by accelerating biomass accumulation, promoting rooting, and enhancing the production of photosynthetic pigments, as well as regulating hormone synthesis.
... Serendipita indica is a potential plant growth-promoting fungus, that has been found to improve crop production under abiotic stress conditions [18,19]. This symbiotic fungus can modulate barley morphology and physiology, and change plant metabolic activities, such as CO 2 assimilation and transpiration rate [20][21][22][23][24]. It is important to understand the various factors that can influence a plant's responses to drought and the potential role of symbiotic organisms in mitigating the negative effects of water scarcity, as the knowledge of them is so far incomplete. ...
... This study hypothesizes that potassium supplementation and S. indica inoculation significantly enhances the drought resilience and productivity of spring barley genotypes adapted to local conditions, as well as those originating from arid regions. While previous studies have explored the individual effects of potassium and endophytes on plant stress responses [14,15,21,22,[28][29][30][31], their combined impact on various spring barley genotypes, particularly under field conditions, remains insufficiently understood. By investigating genotype-specific traits associated with drought resilience and evaluating the effects of these interventions on productivity and growth parameters, the study aims to offer insights into strategies for stabilizing crop production under non-standard climatic conditions. ...
In recent years, recurrent droughts have significantly affected spring barley production, reducing the quantity and quality of grain. This study aims to identify genotype-specific traits and the drought resilience of six different Hordeum vulgare L. (spring barley) genotypes, while also examining the potential of potassium application and fungal endophyte Serendipita indica inoculation to mitigate the negative effects of dry periods during the growing season. Field experiments were conducted over a three-year period from 2020 to 2022, measuring physiological, growth, and yield parameters. To get insight into the physiological state of the plants, we measured the soluble sugars content and the ratio of stable carbon isotopes in the flag leaf tissue, which reflects conditions during its formation. The dominant factors that influenced the measured parameters were the genotypes and seasons, as well as their interaction, rather than other experimental factors. The results showed that the Spitfire and Accordine varieties were the best performing in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, as indicated by their yield. However, in the drier 2022 season, the yield of these two varieties decreased significantly (to 55% for Spitfire and to 69% for Accordine of their yield in 2021), while for the arid-region genotypes, it remained at the same level as the previous year. This study sheds light on the potential of various genotypes to withstand periods of drought and the effectiveness of using potassium application and S. indica inoculation as mitigation approaches.
... 21,40,41 Moreover, P. indica can elevate the photosynthetic rate and growth phytohormones secretion, which helps in host's growth and development. 39,42,43 We also observed that an increase in vegetative growth was positively correlated with an increase in total yield due to an increase in grains per ear and panicle weight following P. indica inoculation (Tables 1 and 2). In addition, the heading time of plants in the SS treatment was earlier than that in the non-colonized plants (data not shown). ...
... In addition, the heading time of plants in the SS treatment was earlier than that in the non-colonized plants (data not shown). Achatz et al. (2010) reported that P. indica enhanced the grain yield of barley, which caused an increase in the number of ears per plant at early development stages. This indicates that the higher grain yield in P. indicacolonized plants not only results from the formation of more tillers but also from more rapid development, e.g., the observed earlier emergence of ears. ...
Piriformospora indica, a plant root-colonizing basidiomycete fungus, exhibits strong growth-promoting activity in symbiosis with a broad range of plants. Here, we report the potential of P. indica to improve growth, yield, and disease resistance in wheat in the field. In the present study, P. indica successfully colonized wheat through chlamydospores and formed dense mycelial networks that covered roots. Plants subjected to the seed soaking (SS) treatment with P. indica chlamydospore suspensions enhanced tillering 2.28-fold compared to the non-inoculated wheat in the tillering stage. In addition, P. indica colonization promoted vegetative growth significantly during the three-leaf, tillering, and jointing stages. Moreover, the P. indica-SS-treatment enhanced wheat yield by 16.37 ± 1.63%, by increasing grains per ear and panicle weight and decreased damage to wheat shoot and root architecture markedly, with high field control effects against Fusarium pseudograminearum (81.59 ± 1.32%), Bipolaris sorokiniana (82.19 ± 1.59%), and Rhizoctonia cerealis (75.98 ± 1.36%). Most of the primary metabolites, such as amino acids, nucleotides, and lipids, involved in vegetative reproduction were increased in P. indica-SS-treatment plants, whereas secondary metabolites, such as terpenoids, polyketides, and alkaloids, decreased following P. indica inoculation. The up-regulated processes of protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism indicated that P. indica colonization increased growth, yield, and disease resistance via the acceleration of plant primary metabolism. In conclusion, P. indica improved morphological, physiological, and metabolic substance levels, and further promoted its growth, yield, and disease resistance in wheat.
... The outcomes of endophytic relationships cover the whole range from negative to beneficial effects on plant performance (Schulz and Boyle, 2005;Deshmukh et al., 2006). Beneficial plant-fungus interactions hold potential for an application in sustainable agriculture to achieve higher yields (Achatz et al., 2010a(Achatz et al., , 2010b and increased resistance and tolerance to pathogens, parasites, and abiotic stresses (Harman, 2011;Lugtenberg et al., 2016). ...
... The increase in the dry matter content means that lower amounts of water were present in the tissues, possibly due to a higher transpiration rate not covered by increased water uptake. Water uptake is balanced with the photosynthetic rate, and it has previously been shown in barley and has also been proposed for in tomato that plants inoculated with S. indica showed enhanced photosynthetic activity even at low light intensities (Achatz et al., 2010b;Fakhro et al., 2010a). ...
Plant growth-promoting and stress resilience-inducing root endophytic fungi represent an additional carbohydrate sink. This study aims to test if such root endophytes affect the sugar metabolism of the host plant to divert the flow of resources for their purposes. Fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) colonised by the closely related Serendipita indica and Serendipita herbamans were recorded. Plant carbohydrate metabolism was analysed by measuring sugar levels, by determining activity signatures of key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism, and by quantifying mRNA levels of genes involved in sugar transport and turnover. During the interaction with the tomato plants, both fungi promoted root growth and shifted shoot biomass from stem to leaf tissues, resulting in increased leaf size. A common effect induced by both fungi was the inhibition of phosphofructokinase (PFK) in roots and leaves. This glycolytic-pacing enzyme shows how the glycolysis rate is reduced in plants and, eventually, how sugars are allocated to different tissues. Sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity was strongly induced in colonised roots. This was accompanied by increased SPS-A1 gene expression in S. herbamans-colonised roots and by increased sucrose amounts in roots colonised by S. indica. Other enzyme activities were barely affected by S. indica, but mainly induced in leaves of S. herbamans-colonised plants and decreased in roots. This study suggests that two closely related root endophytic fungi differentially influence plant carbohydrate metabolism locally and systemically, but both induce a similar increase in plant biomass. Notably, both fungal endophytes induce an increase in SPS activity and, in the case of S. indica, sucrose resynthesis in roots. In leaves of S. indica-colonised plants, SWEET11b expression was enhanced, thus we assume that excess sucrose was exported by this transporter to the roots.
... S. indica, in addition to increasing crop production in plants such as rice, barley, black cabbage, and melon [31,37,38], can increase secondary metabolites and phytochemicals in Inoculation of Arabidopsis, Chinese cabbage, rice, and corn roots with S. indica causes root proliferation and biomass changes, according to Tsai et al. [27], and it may be an increase in root biomass due to increased indole-3 acetic acid (IAA) production by S. indica [28]. Komis et al. found that S. indica colonized maize roots after 15 days, which led to their further growth due to stimulating genes involved in microtubule-based processes [29]. ...
... S. indica, in addition to increasing crop production in plants such as rice, barley, black cabbage, and melon [31,37,38], can increase secondary metabolites and phytochemicals in some medicinal and industrial plants [39]. Ghorbani of tomato roots by S. indica increases the accumulation of betaine, glycine, and proline in the roots and the content of photosynthetic pigments [40]. ...
Plant stress is one of the biggest threats to crops, causing irreparable damage to farmers' incomes; Therefore, finding suitable, affordable, and practical solutions will help the agricultural economy and prevent the loss of millions of tons of agricultural products. Scientists have taken significant steps toward improving farm productivity in the last few decades by discovering how beneficial soil microorganisms enhance plant resistance to environmental stresses. Among these microorganisms is Serendipita indica, which the benefits of coexisting this fungus with plant roots have been extensively explored in recent years. By investigating fungus specification and its effects on plants' morphological, physiological, and molecular traits, the present study seeks to understand how Serendipita indica affects plant resistance to salinity and drought conditions. Furthermore, this study attempts to identify the unknown mechanisms of action of the coexistence of Serendipita indica with plants in the face of stress using information from previous studies. Thus, it provides a way for future research to assess the impact of this fungus on tackling environmental stresses and enhancing agricultural productivity.
... The effects of P. indica colonization on increasing biomass have been proven in several plant species such as rice, Chinese cabbage and barley (Lee et al. 2011;Hilbert et al. 2012;Tsai et al. 2020). The capability of P. indica to accelerate plant growth and to enhance crop yield could result from promoting root development and nutrient uptake (Achatz et al. 2010;Ansari et al. 2013). P. indica colonization not only benefits plant growth but also improves environmental stress tolerance (Sherameti et al. 2008;Jiang et al. 2020). ...
Piriformospora indica (P. indica) is a mutualistic endophyte that colonizes plant roots. In this study, effects of P. indica on rice resistance against rice leaffolder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée) were investigated. Growth inhibition and leaf injury caused by leaffolder larvae infestation in P. indica-colonized rice was significantly alleviated. Moreover, growth retardation was observed in larvae which fed on P. indica-colonized plants. JA-Ile levels and trypsin inhibitor activities in leaf tissues of P. indica-colonized plants were higher than those in noncolonized plants under leaffolder-infested conditions. P. indica effects on increasing trypsin inhibitor expression and reducing larval growth were repressed by aspirin. JA signaling drives P. indica-enhanced insect resistance in rice, and trypsin inhibitors might be candidates involved in this mechanism. Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde levels in P. indica-inoculated plants were observed, and it was demonstrated that oxidative stress induced by insect infestation could be reduced in P. indica-colonized plants.
... It is an axenically cultivable root colonizing endosymbiotic fungus with many biotechnological applications by acting as a biofertilizer, a bioprotector against biotic and abiotic stresses, as a bioregulator for plant growth and secondary metabolite production . Various studies have reported enhanced biomass and secondary metabolism after successful root colonization with this fungus (Baldi et al., 2008;Achatz et al., 2010;Satheesan et al., 2012;Su et al., 2017;Khalvandi et al., 2019). There are also reports on the stimulatory effects of P.indica derived elicitors on growth and secondary metabolite production in host plants (Kumar et al., 2012;Tashackori et al., 2018). ...
Andrographis paniculata [(Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees, family Acanthaceae], is an important medicinal plant used in
Indian and Chinese traditional systems of medicines. The therapeutic activity of A. paniculata is due to the
presence of andrographolide, a diterpenoid lactone with potent pharmacological activities. Andrographolide and
its various semi synthetic derivatives are of high therapeutic potential and therefore of high demand. Due to the
complex structure of andrographolide, chemical synthesis has not been effective till date and thus the pharmaceutical industry depends on A. paniculata for extraction of pure andrographolide. The content of andrographolide in A. paniculata is low (14.28 ± 1.62 mg/g DW) and thus biotechnological interventions are essential for enhanced production of andrographolide. The potential mutualistic role of endosymbiosis in
enhancing the yield of andrographolide in in vitro cultures of A. paniculata was studied and the salient findings
obtained are reported. It was consistently observed that colonization of roots of A. paniculata seedlings by the
mutualistic endosymbiotic fungus Piriformospora indica resulted in significant enhancement of andrographolide
(58.2 ± 6.5 mg/g DW) in comparison to control plants (19.5 ± 2.3 mg/g DW), along with a correlated increase
in plant biomass. Fractions derived from P. indica such as cell wall and culture exudate were also employed to
study their effect on andrographolide and biomass yield. It was observed that these fractions successfully improved the growth rate of the plant along with elevated andrographolide production, with maximum andrographolide content (55.8 ± 3.2 mg/g DW) observed in cell wall fraction treated seedlings. Under all the
treatment conditions the transcriptional regulation of andrographolide biosynthetic pathway genes were analysed using RT-qPCR and correlated with andrographolide content. Andographolide biosynthesis pathway genesGGPS, HMGS and DXR showed a significantly high transcript level expression and correlation with andrographolide accumulation over a period of 35 days in case of all the treatments studied. The potential protective
role of P. indica colonization under host abiotic stress was demonstrated in A. paniculata seedlings exposed to
abiotic stress conditions induced by poly ethylene glycol. Piriformospora indica colonized plants under drought
stress exhibited normal morphology, high antioxidant enzyme content, low malondialdehyde accumulation and
high proline content when compared with the control plants. The observations prove that P. indica and P. indica
derived fractions can be used as an ideal bio stimulator to enhance the biomass (2.344 fold) and andrographolide
content (3.91 fold) in A. paniculata. The findings also showed that as A. paniculata is significantly affected by
drought stress, P. indica can also be used as a helpful eco-friendly tool to confer drought stress tolerance, thereby
improving biomass and andrographolide yield. Moreover, the biostimulants present in the fungal cell wall
fractions and culture exudates can be purified and characterized for exploring their further functional roles in
order to develop products of commercial value.
... In Arabidopsis and tobacco roots, P. indica stimulated the expression of enzymes involved in nitrate metabolism including nitrate reductase, 41 and a positive effect of P. indica on phosphate uptake was shown in maize. 42 Achatz et al. (2010) reported that P. indica enhanced grain yield of barley, 43 and this was caused by growth promotion at early development stages. In our study, the panicle and filled grain number of P. indica-colonized rice plants were significantly higher compared to noninoculated control plants, whereas the ten-grain weight was not changed (Table 1). ...
... In Arabidopsis and tobacco roots, P. indica stimulated the expression of enzymes involved in nitrate metabolism including nitrate reductase, 41 and a positive effect of P. indica on phosphate uptake was shown in maize. 42 Achatz et al. (2010) reported that P. indica enhanced grain yield of barley, 43 and this was caused by growth promotion at early development stages. In our study, the panicle and filled grain number of P. indica-colonized rice plants were significantly higher compared to noninoculated control plants, whereas the ten-grain weight was not changed (Table 1). ...
... In barley, P. indica colonization increased the number of ears per plant. 43 Filling efficiency of rice spikelet is dependent on photosynthesis of the mature leaves during grain filling and the mobilization of carbohydrate in the leaf sheath and culm of the upper leaves. 44,45 Stimulation of the carbohydrate metabolism and expression of sugar transporter genes was described for several plant species associated with mycorrhizal fungi. ...
Global water shortage seriously threatens rice growth especially in irrigated production areas. Association of plants with beneficial soil microbes is one strategy for plant adaption to environmental stresses. In this study, rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants were colonized by the beneficial root-colonizing endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica (P. indica). We demonstrate that grain yield were higher in P. indica-colonized rice plants compared to the uncolonized plants grown in soil. Moreover, P. indica effect on improving water stress tolerance in rice and its physiological mechanism were investigated in a hydroponic culture system. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was applied to the culture solution to conduct the water stress condition. Water stress-induced leaf wilting and impairments in photosynthetic efficiency were diminished in P. indica-colonized plants. Furthermore, P. indica colonization promotes stomata closure and increases the leaf surface temperature under water stress. The malondialdehyde level (as an indicator for oxidative stress) was lower and the reduced to oxidized glutathione ratio was higher in P. indica-colonized and PEG-exposed rice plants compared to the uncolonized plants. Furthermore, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione reductase were up-regulated in inoculated rice seedlings under water stress. In conclusion, P. indica promotes rice performance under water stress by stomata closure and lower oxidative stress.
... When inspecting the beneficial effect of the co-cultivation of plants with S. indica it becomes obvious that there is a discrepancy between the observed effects and the classical growth-defense tradeoff concept. Although S. indica infection triggers defense responses, plant biomass production and productivity in terms of seed yield are increased Achatz et al., 2010). It therefore has to be concluded that, along with the basic initial plant defense response, further mechanisms are triggered by the fungus, allowing the host plant to grow despite all of the metabolic restrictions. ...
The global climate change is arguably one of the biggest threats of our times that already led to a wide range of impacts on the environment, economy, and society. Due to past emissions and the inertia of the climate system, global climate change is estimated to continue for decades even though anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions could be stopped immediately. In many regions, such as central Europe and the Mediterranean region the temperature is likely to rise by 2–5ºC and annual precipitations are assumed to decrease. Expected heat and drought periods followed by floods, and unpredictable growing seasons are estimated to have detrimental effects on the agricultural production system, causing immense economic losses and problems of food supply.
To mitigate the risks provoked by the climate change, agricultural innovations counteracting these effects need to be embraced and accelerated. To achieve maximum improvements, the required agricultural innovations should not focus on the crop side alone, but rather pursue a holistic approach including the entire ecosystem. Over millions of years, plants have evolved in close association with other organisms, in particular with soil microbes that shaped their evolution and contemporary ecology. Many studies already highlighted beneficial interactions among community members, but will it be possible to decipher common molecular pattern and the underlying biochemical framework of interspecies communication? And will we be able to harness the obtained discoveries to improve agricultural performance under environmental stress conditions? In this review, we aim to summarize the current knowledge on plant interactions with fungal endosymbionts found in extreme ecosystems. Special attention will be paid to the interaction of plants with the symbiotic, root-colonizing endophytic fungus Serendipita indica, which has developed to a model system for beneficial plant-fungus interactions.
... In some cases nutrient status has been reported to play a role in the interaction of the model sebacinoid fungus Serendipita indica with some plant species Sherameti et al., 2005;Nautiyal et al., 2010;Yadav et al., 2010;Kumar et al., 2012). However, S. indica colonization of Nicotiana attenuata and barley had no effect on host phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) content (Barazani et al., 2005;Achatz et al., 2010), suggesting that nutrient exchange is not central to the beneficial effects conferred by sebacinoid fungi. S. indica colonizes the rhizodermis and outer root cortex (Deshmukh et al., 2006;Jacobs et al., 2011;Weiss et al., 2016). ...
Loss-of-function alleles of MLO (Mildew Resistance Locus O) confer broad-spectrum resistance to foliar infections by powdery mildew pathogens. Like pathogens, microbes that establish mutually beneficial relationships with their plant hosts, trigger the induction of some defense responses. Initially, barley colonization by the root endophyte Serendipita indica (syn. Piriformospora indica) is associated with enhanced defense gene expression and the formation of papillae at sites of hyphal penetration attempts. This phenotype is reminiscent of mlo-conditioned immunity in barley leaf tissue and raises the question whether MLO plays a regulatory role in the establishment of beneficial interactions. Here we show that S. indica colonization was significantly reduced in plants carrying mlo mutations compared to wild type controls. The reduction in fungal biomass was associated with the enhanced formation of papillae. Moreover, epidermal cells of S. indica-treated mlo plants displayed an early accumulation of iron in the epidermal layer suggesting increased basal defense activation in the barley mutant background. Correspondingly, the induction of host cell death during later colonization stages was impaired in mlo colonized plants, highlighting the importance of the early biotrophic growth phase for S. indica root colonization. In contrast, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae displayed a similar colonization morphology on mutant and wild type plants. However, the frequency of mycorrhization and number of arbuscules was higher in mlo-5 mutants. These findings suggest that MLO differentially regulates root colonization by endophytic and AM fungi.
