Diversidad de hongos endófitos asociados a raíces de Maxillaria acuminata en un bosque montano alto del Sur de Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract: In natural environments, it has been proven that orchids are interacting with multiple microorganisms, including various species of endophytic fungi, which colonize the tissues of the host plant without producing any apparent damage or benefit. The diversity of these fungi associated with orchid roots is still unknown, and even more so the ecological role they play in the interaction with the orchid. In this study, we evaluated the richness and diversity of these fungi associated with the roots of Maxillaria acuminata, a common epiphytic orchid species in a tropical montane forest of southern Ecuador. For this purpose, we characterized the fungal communities by sequencing the ITS2 region of the nrDNA with Illumina MiSeq technology. Eight hundred and forty-three fungal OTUs were delimited using a 97% sequence similarity. The highest percentage of OTUs belonged to the Ascomycota phylum. The most outstanding life strategy of the detected fungi belonged to saprophytes and 35 of the OTUs corresponded to mycorrhizal fungi. The high richness of endophyte fungi obtained can influence the development and survival of Maxillaria acuminata.