The diversity of fungal associates of Dendrobium ovatum (L.) Kraenzl., an endemic orchid of the Western Ghats of India

Reedhu Raj; Joseph Job; Prasanna Rajan; Sijo Mathew; Rasmi Avanoor Ramanathan; Elizabeth Cherian

doi:10.22146/ijbiotech.92378

The diversity of fungal associates of Dendrobium ovatum (L.) Kraenzl., an endemic orchid of the Western Ghats of India

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijbiotech.92378

Reedhu Raj⁽¹⁾, Joseph Job⁽²⁾, Prasanna Rajan⁽³⁾, Sijo Mathew⁽⁴⁾, Rasmi Avanoor Ramanathan⁽⁵⁾, Elizabeth Cherian^(6*)

(1) Department of Botany, Government Victoria College, Palakkad (University of Calicut), Kerala, India
(2) Department of Botany, St. Berchmans College, Changanassery, (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam), Kerala, India
(3) Department of Botany, Government College Kottayam, (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam), Kerala, India
(4) Department of Botany, Government College Kottayam, (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam), Kerala, India
(5) Department of Botany, Government Victoria College, Palakkad (University of Calicut), Kerala, India
(6) Department of Botany, CMS College Kottayam (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam), Kerala, India
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

Dendrobium ovatum is a tropical epiphytic orchid endemic to the Western Ghats of India and has been listed as a threatened species in recent research due to its declining populations and changes in flowering and fruit set patterns. This study aims to investigate the mycoflora associated with the roots, stems and leaves of D. ovatum. Both surface‐associated and endophytic fungal associates were isolated and identified using morphological and molecular methods. The study resulted in the isolation of 139 cultures, which were divided into 24 morphotypes, 99% of which belonged to Ascomycota. The most dominant members, Trichoderma harzianum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, were consistently observed across all the study sites. Tissue‐specific fungal diversity analysis revealed that each organ was dominated by a distinct fungal group, forming characteristic communities specific to each tissue. The roots of D. ovatum exhibited the highest species richness and diversity, compared to the stem and leaves. This research also represents the first documentation of fungal associates of the threatened orchid D. ovatum.

Keywords

Colletotrichum; Dendrobium ovatum; Endemic; Endophytes; Fungal associates; Threatened; Trichoderma

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijbiotech.92378