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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2008, p. 1412-1417, Vol. 74, No. 5
0099-2240/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02013-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Water Deficit as a Driver of the Mutualistic Relationship between the Fungus Trichoderma harzianum and Two Wheat Genotypes

Bio Insumos Nativa, Casilla 16 D, San Javier, Chile,¹ Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile,² Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Santiago, Chile³

Received 3 September 2007/ Accepted 26 December 2007

The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of mutualistic interactions between the fungus Trichoderma harzianum and two wheat genotypes, Triticum aestivum cv. Talhuén and T. turgidum subsp. durum cv. Alifén, and the extent to which water deficit affected these interactions. Two wheat genotypes were cultivated in the presence or absence of T. harzianum and in the presence or absence of water deficit. T. harzianum was in turn cultivated in the presence or absence of wheat plants and in the presence or absence of water deficit. To evaluate the plant-fungus interactions, the root volume, dry biomass, and fecundity of wheat were determined, as was the population growth rate of the fungus. Trichoderma harzianum exerted a positive effect only on plants subjected to water deficit. The population growth rate of T. harzianum was negative in the absence of wheat plants and reached its highest level in the presence of plants under conditions of water deficit. These results confirm the occurrence of a mutualistic interaction between wheat and T. harzianum and show that it is asymmetric and context dependent.

Published ahead of print on 11 January 2008.