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Can the DSE Fungus Exserohilum rostratum Mitigate the Effect of Salinity on the Grass Chloris gayana?

Summary

Researchers tested whether a beneficial fungus called Exserohilum rostratum could help a grass species called Rhodes grass survive in salty soil conditions. The fungus was found to tolerate salt well and helped the grass maintain better nutrient balance, but these benefits were limited and didn’t fully protect the grass from the negative effects of high salt levels. This suggests that while the fungus can be helpful, its effectiveness depends on specific conditions and salt concentrations.

Background

Dark septate endophytes (DSEs) are fungi commonly found in saline environments and have been shown to potentially enhance plant tolerance to salt stress. Chloris gayana is a forage grass that has been introduced to salt-affected soils in the Flooding Pampas of Argentina. This study investigated whether the DSE fungus Exserohilum rostratum could mitigate salinity effects on this grass species.

Objective

To evaluate the salinity tolerance of the DSE fungus Exserohilum rostratum isolated from C. gayana roots and determine its contribution to the grass’s ability to tolerate saline conditions. The study assessed fungal growth, root colonization, functional traits, plant biomass, chemical composition, and salinity tolerance indices under varying salinity levels.

Results

The fungus tolerated salinity and colonized roots while showing enzyme production and phosphate solubilization ability. Salinity reduced plant biomass in both experiments, with inoculation enhancing shoot biomass only under non-saline conditions in the first experiment. Inoculated plants consistently showed higher K/Na and Ca/Na ratios regardless of salinity level, though this did not fully prevent biomass reduction under severe salinity.

Conclusion

Although E. rostratum tolerates salinity and expresses functional traits including enzyme production and phosphate solubilization, its ability to enhance plant performance under salt stress is context-dependent and limited. The fungus promoted selective nutrient uptake but was insufficient to fully counteract high salinity stress on C. gayana growth and productivity.
  • Published in:Plants (Basel),
  • Study Type:Experimental Greenhouse Study,
  • Source: 10.3390/plants14162537, PMID: 40872160
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