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Abstract

Information is limited on the presence of endophytic fungal associations in green gametophytes and young sporophytes of extant ferns. Nothing is known about their presence in Polypodiales, the largest order among extant ferns. We screened chlorophyllous gametophytes and young sporophytes of Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott., (Lomariopsidaceae, Polypodiales) growing naturally on soil, brick and coir for the presence of fungal endophytes. Gametophytes and young sporophytes growing on different substrates were invariably colonized by septate endophytic fungi. Hyaline or brown, regularly septate, inter- or intracellular hyphae with moniliform cells or microsclerotia characterized septate endophytic fungi. However, only the roots of young sporophytes growing on soil and bricks harboured arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The AM morphology conformed to the intermediate type with intracellular hyphal coils, arbusculate coils and intercellular hyphae. No AM fungal spores could be retrieved from the soil on which gametophytes and young sporophytes were growing. The observations in this study support the idea that the septate fungal endophytes could confer an ecological advantage on colonized individuals, especially on nutrient deficient substrates.

Keywords

Nephrolepis exaltata Gametophyte Sporophyte Arbuscular mycorrhiza Septate endophytic fungi

Article Details

Author Biography

Muthukumar Thangavelu, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, Tamil Nadu

Assiatant Professor

Department of Botany

Bharathiar University

Coimbatore 641 046

Tamil Nadu, India

How to Cite
Thangavelu, M., & Prabha, K. (2012). Fungal associations in gametophytes and young sporophytic roots of the fern Nephrolepis exaltata. Acta Botanica Croatica, 71(1). Retrieved from https://www.abc.botanic.hr/index.php/abc/article/view/498

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