How to differentiate between fungal endophyte and mycorrhiza during the isolation of endophytes from root samples?
The mechanisms used by endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi seem to be quite different .
Endophytes live inside and throughout the host plant . These endophytes , very often produce chemicals that confer some other stress resistance, so that the host can benefit. Endophytes of grasses give their host more resistance to grazers and get food and shelter from the plant in return .
Mycorrhizae on the other hand , is much more specific in that it implies some connection between fungi in the soil and the root of the plant (this makes sense given the greek language basis of myco (fungal) rhizae (root). Different types of mycorrhizae can be distinguished according to the plant and fungal partners and structural characteristics. Important distinctions are whether the hyphae colonizing the plant grow intracellularly (endomycorrhizae) or only intercellularly in the plant tissue (ectomycorrhizae) or both (ectendomycorrhizae).
Sometimes the fungi penetrate somewhat into the root cells (endomycorrhizae), but that's not quite the same as growing within and throughout the whole tree. Once again the host can benefit in a mycorrhizal relationship, often by extending its root system, capacity to move water, stress resistance, nutrient uptake, etc. It is sometimes unclear who benefits more from whom in each of these cases (i.e. mycorrhizae and endophytic relationships), so there is some dispute as to the degree of parasitism in both cases. Mycorrhiza" describes a type of fungus that has a mutualistic relationship with plant roots. While , "Endophyte" describes a fungus that lives within above-ground healthy plant tissue and doesn't seem to harm it. They just describe these general functions/habitats. "endomycorrhizae" is an outdated term, which has been replaced with arbuscular mycorrhizae or "AMF".
Respected Anoop Kumar sir, I agree with your answer. As far as endophytes are concerned, they are known to be systemic in nature whereas mycorrhiza are restricted only to roots. There are several reports of endophytes being isolated from root samples of different plants. My question was during isolation of these fungi how do I know whether it is an endophyte or a mycorrhiza? Is there some specific tests to differentiate between the two?
Please define which kind if endophytes , you are looking at, bacteria or fungi..??
Mycorrhizal hyphal network can differentiate AMs from other fungi acting as endophytes...
You can also look at type of proteins , for example , AMs are so aggressive in synthesizing glomalins as easily extractable and difficult extractable forms....
I completely agree with Pr Srivastava, although I am not specialized in the field of mycorrhiza
I think the differentiation between these two groups of symbiotic (mutuaistic ?) fungi will be more obvious across the study of the anatomy of infection... moreover, certain mycorrhizal associations are marked by particular histological structures like those observed in Monotropoid or Orchidaceae-associated mycorrhizal fungi
Occurrence of fungi plant endo-parts such as xylem and phloem of plants known as Fungal endoghytes occurrence of fungal around roots or surface of plants called as exophytes or Microrhiza it may be nature of endophtes when they showed ability to enter plant parts. It can differentiate based on isolation where from you take samples.
This is a question of an "entire internalization" of the fungus on the plant-host. ...there is no fungal structure that is outside the host. in addition I think also that fungal structures specialized in trophic activity (or nutritional flux) such as haustoria are lacking in this case....maybe I'm wrong....
Another point that I think is important ... it is noted that organs infected with endophytes do not present changes in structures adapted to the "welcome" the mycosymbiont.... unlike ectomycorrhizae where we notice, for example, a greater branching and shortening of roots....maybe I'm wrong
Mycorrihzae: Symbiotic association between fungi and roots of plants, which include broadly ecto and endo mycorrhizae.
Endophytes: Association of microorganism within the tissues of the plants without causing any harm to the host plant.
Fungal endophytes: Association of fungi within the tissues of the plants without causing any harm to the host plant.
Another general, but important distinction: most fungi participating in mycorrhizal association are not culturable on media (they won't grow on a Petri plate), while most endophytes are. This is by no means a diagnostic characteristic, but in general the fungi you culture from plant roots are endophytes - to study the mycorrhizal fungi you would need other techniques. The other way to distinguish them is phylogenetically - we have a fairly clear idea which groups of fungi participate in mycorrhizae, while everything else could be considered an endophyte.
I think , Tyler has given very convincing response , quite satisfying indeed....
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