Biodiv Sci ›› 2007, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (5): 456-462.  DOI: 10.1360/biodiv.070060

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Endophytic fungi diversity in root of Doritis pulcherrima (Orchidaceae)

Haili Ke1, 2, Xiqiang Song1, 3*, Zhiqiong Tan2 , Hongxia Liu4, Yibo Luo3   

  1. 1 College of Horticulture, South China University of Tropical Agriculture, Danzhou, Hainan 571737
    2 College of Environment and Plant Protection, South China University of Tropical Agriculture, Danzhou, Hainan 571737
    3 State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093
    4 College of Resources and Environment, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083
  • Online:2007-09-20 Published:2007-09-20

Abstract: Symbiotic relationship is maintained for endophytic fungi community throughout the life cycle of Orchidaceae plants. Endophytic fungi communities may have various biodiversities associated with different orchid species from different habitats. From July 2004 to October 2005, we studied the diversity of endo-phytic fungi communities in the roots of epiphytic Doritis pulcherrima with two different plant morphologi-cal variants and from two habitats in Bawangling Nature Reserve of Hainan Island. A total of 83 endophytic fungi strains were isolated from fresh root samples of the plants growing on rocks or shrubs, and with red-purple lower leaf surface or with green lower leaf surface. The isolated strains were identified into 19 genera. Fusarium (24.1%) and Rhizoctonia (14.5%) were identified as two dominant genera. Two D. pul-cherrima leaf color variants have similar abundance level of endophytic fungi communities, but significant difference of the abundance level of endophytic fungi communities was presented between two habitats. The Shannon biodiversity index (H) of endophytic fungi was much higher from the D. pulcherrima growing on shrubs than growing on rocks. Our results suggested that the species diversity of endophytic fungi communi-ties in D. pulcherrima is affected more by its different habitats than by its plant morphological variations.