114 Y. M. Hokama, D. C. Savi, B. Assad et al.
ENDOPHYTES BIODIVERSITY IN FLOODING
AND DRY SESSION
To evaluate the influence of an inundation pulse on the endophytic
community in V. divergens, we analyzed the rates of isolation in the flooding
period (November–June) and dry period (July–October). Out of 77 isolates, 33
(42.8%) were obtained in the dry period and 44 (57.2%) were obtained in the
flooding period. Isolates belonging to genera Polyporus (Basidiomycota,
Agaricomycete); Neofusicoccum, Pseudofusicoccum, and Cladosporium
(Ascomycetes, Dothideomycetes) were obtained exclusively in the flooding
period, whereas isolates belonging to the genera Antrodia, Irpex, Peniophora
(Basidiomycota, Agaricomycete); Diaporthe (Ascomycetes, Diaporthaceae),
Lanceispora (Ascomycetes, Amphisphaeriaceae); Annellosympodiela and
Phaeosphaeria (Ascomycetes, Dothideomycetes) were isolated exclusively in
the dry period. Other genera were isolated from V. divergens in both periods
(Table 1). Based on species number and species diversity, our data suggest
preferential colonization during the dry period (Table 1, Figure 2–12).
Preferential endophytic colonization with varying water availabilities has been
reported previously in the literature. For example, Osmorhiza depauperata,
Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Sinorhizobium meliloti bacteria were found
to be more abundant in sites with higher precipitation and higher annual
temperatures, whereas Paenibacillus strains were more common at sites in
higher latitudes and with lower precipitation (Li et al. 2012). In addition, rice
endophytic nitrogen-fixing Azoarcus spp. are more abundant with greater
water availability (Gaiero et al. 2013).
Antifungal Activity against the Phytopathogen
Phyllosticta citricarpa
Endophytic microorganisms are explored because of their capacity to
reduce herbivory or phytopathogen settling, which promotes plant growth and
induces systemic resistance in plants (Miller et al. 2012). Thus, endophytic
protection can provide an alternative to traditional pesticide treatments (Niu et
al. 2014). Our group is interested in biological control of citrus diseases.
Among them, citrus black spot (CBS) disease is of great importance, because
it is associated with large economic losses that result from phytosanitary
restrictions, the lack of an effective treatment, and restrictions on the presence