Microfungi from the ectorhizosphere-rhizoplane zone of different halophytic plants from the Red Sea Coast of Egypt

Abstract

The mycota colonizing the ectorhizosphere-rhizoplane zone of Avicennia marina, Halocnemum strobilecium, Zygophyllum album, Z. coccineum, Z. simplex, Arthrocnemum macrostachum and Limonastrum monopetalum were investigated along the Red Sea Coast of Egypt. Czapek-Dox basal medium in sea-water with different carbon sources (glucose, xylan, starch, cellulose and tannin) in replacement of sucrose, was used as isolation medium. A total of 41 microfungal species belonging to mitosporic fungi (36 spp.), Zygomycota (3 spp.) and Ascomycota (2 spp.) were isolated. The most common species were Cladosporium cladosporoides, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus terreus var. aureus. Higher counts were observed on xylan, starch and cellulose, lower counts on tannin. The rhizosphere contains both xerotolerant and nontolerant species. Scolecobasidium arenarium was the only recorded arenicolous marine species. Detrended correspondence analysis separates the isolated species into ten communities, each one is specific for a particular plant. Canonical correspondence analysis biplot shows that the patterns of species abundance in the rhizosphere was influenced by changes in organic content, total nitrogen, pH and total dissolved salts in surrounding soil.

Key Words:

• multivariate analysis
• salt marshes
• terrestrial fungi
• water activity
• xerophilic
• xerotolerant