Fungal microbiota in seeds, seedlings and mature plants of raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.)

Abstract

Presently, there is an intensive search for fungal endophytes to be used in agriculture for the protection and condition improvement of plants and in medicine. We screened for the presence of endophytes in raspberry, which occurs naturally in the Białowieża Forest. The fungal isolates representative of each morphotype were analysed using the molecular markers ITS1 and ITS2. In total, we found 34 taxa of endophytic fungi. The majority were potential pathogens. As many as 27 taxa were found in the leaves of mature plants. No fungi could be isolated from the surface sterilized seeds obtained from these plants. Seedlings were grown from the seeds deposited in the soil seed bank in the Białowieża Geobotanical Station of the University of Warsaw in Białowieża. 8 taxa of endophytic fungi were found in seedlings. It could be due to a possibility of seed infection with these endophytes in soil conditions.