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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (6): 145-154.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025255

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Screening of manganese-tolerant endophytic fungi from seeds and their ability to promote seed germination and seedling growth under manganese stress

Zi-xin YU(), Wei-zheng SHEN(), Gao PAN, Wen-yin WANG, Wen-sheng LIU()   

  1. School of Life Sciences and Technology,Central South University of Forestry and Technology,Changsha 410004,China
  • Received:2025-06-26 Revised:2025-09-01 Online:2026-06-20 Published:2026-04-13
  • Contact: Wen-sheng LIU

Abstract:

In this study, we first evaluated the tolerance of endophytic fungi isolated from seeds of several plant species to manganese (Mn) stress, and then determined whether they were able to promote the growth of the same plants under Mn stress. Four culturable dominant endophytic fungi (Corynespora cassiicolaCurvularia lunata, Pestalotiopsis microspora, and Alternaria sp.) that had previously been isolated and screened from seeds of plants growing at a Mn mine in Xiangtan were used in this study. These fungi had been isolated from seeds of plants belonging to different life forms (Lespedeza davidii, a shrub; Miscanthus floridulusa giant grass; Celosia argentea, a tropical herbaceous plant;and Chenopodium album, an annual flowering plant). The Mn tolerance of the seed endophytic fungi was evaluated, and then their ability to promote seed germination and growth of the four plant species under Mn stress was evaluated. When the fungi were grown under control conditions and under Mn stress, the colony diameter and the biomass of Alternaria sp. changed the least among the four endophytic fungi (C. cassiicolaC. lunata, P. microspora, and Alternaria sp.). For Alternaria sp., the minimum inhibitory concentration of Mn was 50 mmol·L-1 and the Mn2+ adsorption rate was 75.6%; these values were higher than those determined for the other three endophytic fungi. These findings indicated that Alternaria sp. had the strongest Mn tolerance. In addition, under Mn stress, inoculation with Alternaria sp. increased the seed germination rates and germination potential of L. davidiiM. floridulusC. argentea, and C. album, and promoted their seedling growth. The seed germination rates of the inoculated group of L. davidiiM. floridulusC. argentea, and C. album were 4.9%, 12.9%, 88.9%, and 93.3% higher, respectively, than those of the non-inoculated group, and the total biomasses of the inoculated group were 4.0%, 117.1%, 31.5%, 35.7% higher, respectively, than those of the non-inoculated group. The results show that Alternaria sp. can promote seed germination and seedling growth of many plant species under stress. Consequently, this fungal strain is a promising candidate strain for environmental remediation.

Key words: Mn stress, seed endophytic fungi, seed germination, seedling growth, tolerance