Unveiling the endophytic fungal communities in Iranian Achillea species: molecular insights into host specificity and colonization patterns

Eslami, Zahra; Tazik, Zahra; Asili, Javad; Soheili, Vahid; Oghaz, Nima Akbari; Rezaei, Tahoura; Mottaghipisheh, Javad; Shakeri, Abolfazl

doi:10.1007/s13199-025-01043-4

Research article2025Peer reviewed

Unveiling the endophytic fungal communities in Iranian Achillea species: molecular insights into host specificity and colonization patterns

Eslami, Zahra; Tazik, Zahra; Asili, Javad; Soheili, Vahid; Oghaz, Nima Akbari; Rezaei, Tahoura; Mottaghipisheh, Javad; Shakeri, Abolfazl

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the diversity of fungal endophytes associated with Achillea wilhelmsii and A. arabica across various plant tissues, including roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, collected from different regions in Iran. Molecular identification of the fungal isolates was performed through the amplification of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and Large Subunit (LSU) ribosomal RNA regions. A total of 53 fungal isolates, representing 22 species from the phylum Ascomycota, were molecularly identified. Approximately 36% of these species were common to both plant hosts, while 64% exhibited host-specific colonization. The most prevalent genera were Fusarium and Alternaria, each comprising 28.30% of the total isolates. While the majority of the identified fungal species were novel fungal endophytes for A. wilhelmsii and A. arabica, several species, including Tricharina gilva, Preussia procaviae, Botryotinia ranunculi, Cladosporium variabile, Fusarium duafalcatisporum, and Pyrenophora teres, were previously unreported as plant endophytes. Overall, roots were the most suitable tissue for fungal colonization, followed by leaves, flowers, and stems, which appeared to be the least. Therefore, this study highlights the influence of geography and environmental conditions on fungal colonization patterns and ecological roles of endophytes, probably in herbivore-plant interactions. Further research is necessary to explore the bioactive metabolites of these fungi and their role in the medicinal properties of plants.

Keywords

Polymerase chain reaction; Symbiosis; Persian yarrow; Host plant specificity

Published in

Symbiosis
2025
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

Mottaghipisheh, Javad
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-025-01043-4

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/141434