Ameliorative symbiosis of endophyte (Penicillium funiculosum LHL06) under salt stress elevated plant growth of Glycine max L.

Experiments were conducted to investigate the role of a newly isolated endophytic fungus GMC-2A on physiology of host plant (Glycine max. L cv. Hwangkeum-kong) growing under salinity stress. GMC-2A was identified as a new strain of Penicillium funiculosum on the basis of sequence homology and phylogenetic analysis of D1/D2 regions of 28S rDNA. Preliminary screening experiment showed that the culture filtrate (CF) of GMC-2A promoted the growth of Waito-C, a dwarf gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis mutant rice cultivar. Analysis of fungal CF revealed the presence of GAs (GA1 1.53 ng/ml; GA4 9.34 ng/ml; GA8 1.21 ng/ml; GA9 37.87 ng/ml) and indole acetic acid (14.85 μg/ml). GMC-2A also showed high phosphate solubilization of tricalcium phosphate. Besides that, GMC-2A application enhanced soybean seed germination as compared to control. Under salinity stress (70 and 140 mM), GMC-2A significantly promoted the soybean growth attributes (shoot length, shoot fresh/dry biomass, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate and leaf area) in comparison to control treatments. We also observed low endogenous abscisic acid and elevated jasmonic acid contents in GMC-2A treated plants under salt stress. GMC-2A treatment significantly enhanced levels of isoflavones (34.22% and 75.37%) under salinity stress as compared to control. In conclusion, P. funiculosum LHL06 has significantly ameliorated the adverse effects of salinity induced abiotic stress, and re-programmed soybean to higher growth and isoflavone biosynthesis.

► Endophytic fungus GMC-2A screened for plant growth on GAs biosynthesis mutant Waito-C rice.
► GMC-2A identified as Penicillium funiculosum by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA.
► GMC-2A produced gibberellins (GA1, GA4, GA8, GA9) and IAA and solubilized phosphate in growing medium.
► GMC-2A significantly promoted soybean seed germination and plant growth under salinity stress.
► Low ABA and elevated JA and isoflavones were found in GMC-2A inoculated plants under stress than control.