Fungal endophyte diversity in Paspalum and effects on plant growth

In natural ecosystems, plants appear to be in symbiosis with diverse fungal endophytes which can have impacts on plant communities. Paspalum is one of the most important grass genera in South American grasslands. The aim of this work was to determine the presence of fungal endophytes in two Paspalum species and evaluate their effects on plant growth. Sixty plant samples were collected for Paspalum notatum in a rangeland in northeastern Argentina, and the same number for Paspalum dilatatum in central Argentina. A triple-sterilization process was carried out by submerging small pieces of leaves and stems for the isolation of fungi from the collected plants. In order to identify endophytes, morphological characters and fungal sequences corresponding to the ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) region were analysed. A total of eight genera were identified: Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Bipolaris, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium and Trichoderma. A greenhouse trial was conducted to determine the effects of fungal endophytes on growth. Trichoderma significantly increased relative chlorophyll content in P. notatum and Acremonium endophytes increased tiller number, and above- and below-ground biomass in P. dilatatum. The diversity of fungal endophytes that was present in P. notatum and P. dilatatum was described. In conclusion, some aspects of growth of these Paspalum species seem to be positively affected by Trichoderma and Acremonium.