WHEAT CULTIVABLE FUNGAL ENDOPHYTES IN JORDAN

The identification of wheat endophytes that are present in locally grown wheat is a necessary step in developing the potential of endophytes in order to enhance wheat production in Jordan. The main objectives of current research were to (i) isolate and identify cultivable fungal wheat endophytes from healthy wheat plants grown in different regions in Jordan and to (ii) verify the endophytic characteristics through conducting invitro test on seeds and testing the germination success of seeds with and without endophyte. Wheat plants were collected from different wheat growing regions in northern, middle and southern Jordan. Fungal endophytes were isolated from wheat roots and aerial organs, including leaves, stems, and spikes using the cultivable dependent approach. A total of 83 representatives of the most dominant cultivable endophytes were sequenced using the ITS4/5 gene region. All the identified isolates were belonging to phylum Ascomyctoa, sub-phylum Pezizomycotina. In Pezizomycotina, five classes, seven orders, and 12 families were recognized. Sordariomycetes accounted for the highest frequency followed by Dothidiomycetes. Fungi were most abundant in roots as compared to the other plant parts from which they were isolated. A total of 22 genera and 44 species were identified from different wheat plant parts. Chaetomium sp. was the most recovered fungus followed by Fusarium sp. and Alternaria sp. Different genera were identified from the same organ and some were identified from all plant parts. Some of the isolated fungi had been reported in previous studies as pathogenic to wheat such but according to the pathogenicity in vitro experiment, all the tested isolates except one isolate were nonpathogenic and were not significantly different in all the parameters from the control. Seven genera and two unknown fungal species are new reports as fungal endophytes in wheat. The distribution of the different fungal endophytes among the different governates showed diversity and richness for some genera and in certain locations. For example Chaetomium was found in all governates suggesting the adaptability of this fungus to wheat regardless of the location. Future work is in progress to study the effect of these endophytes on wheat agronomic traits, as biological control agents against wheat major diseases, and as aphid repellents.