Introduction of Some Endophytic Fungi of Rice in Mazandaran province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant professor of Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.

2 Assistant professor of Department of Botany, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant professor of Rice Research Institute, Mazandaran Branch, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Amol, Iran.

4 Associate professor of Department of Biological Control Research, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

10.22126/cbb.2025.12444.1116

Abstract

Introduction: Endophytes are microorganisms that reside within various plant tissues without causing apparent symptoms of infection. A significant portion of these endophytes are fungi. Endophytic fungi have been reported across various taxonomic groups, but Ascomycota represents the major group. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a valuable crop and a primary source of calories for a large portion of the global population, contributing significantly to food security. This plant hosts a variety of endophytic fungi, some of which enhance nutrient uptake, promote plant growth and yield, and improve tolerance and resistance to environmental stresses. Certain rice endophytes also exhibit antagonistic properties against pathogenic fungi. The present study aimed to identify endophytic fungi from rice seeds in Mazandaran province.
Materials and methods: Among the resolved morphological groups, six representative isolates were selected and subjected to detailed morphological examination and molecular phylogeny. For molecular identification, genomic DNA was extracted, and regions of the ITS and LSU rDNA (depending on the genus) were amplified and sequenced. The obtained sequences were edited using BioEdit v. 7.0.9.0. Sequence homology was assessed using the BLASTn algorithm to identify related known sequences at the NCBI GenBank. An appropriate outgroup was selected, and sequences were aligned. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using the Maximum Likelihood method with 1000 bootstrap replicates, employing MEGA 11.
Results: Based on the morphological and molecular analyses, four species including Bipolaris chiangraiensi, Botrytis cinerea, Epicoccum nigrum and Neosetophoma poaceicola were identified. This is the first report of Bipolaris chiangraiensis in Iran.
Conclusion: Endophytic fungi exhibit strong potential for the production of a wide range of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial and biological activities. Therefore, the fungal species identified in this study could serve as valuable sources of novel bioactive compounds for use in agriculture, industry, and medicine. These endophytes may also contribute to mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses in plants, thereby reducing the need for chemical pesticides and lowering the costs associated with managing rice pathogens.

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References

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Cereal Biotechnology and Biochemistry
Volume 4, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
March 2025
Pages 115-131

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