Detection of a Diverse Endophyte Assemblage within Fungal Communities Associated with the Arundo Leaf Miner, Lasioptera donacis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

The larvae of Lasioptera donacis Coutin feed on fungal communities lining galleries within the mesophyll of leaf sheaths of Arundo donax in an aggregative manner. It has been stated that L. donacis could have established a fundamental symbiotic relationship with one fungus, although the fungal composition of these communities remains unsettled. Using a culture-dependent approach and ITS sequencing, the present work characterizes and compares the fungal communities associated with L. donacis in Eurasia with the endophytes of A. donax in Texas where L. donacis is absent. The 65 cultivable isolates obtained from L. donacis fungal communities were sorted into 15 MOTUs, among which Fusarium and Sarocladium predominated. No particular MOTU was systematically recovered from these communities regardless of the sites. The 19 isolates obtained in Texas were sorted into 11 MOTUs. Sarocladium and Fusarium were commonly found in Texas and Eurasia. Our finding indicate that the communities were composed of a diverse assemblage of non-systemic endophytes, rather than an exclusive fungal symbiont. From ovipositors and ovarioles of L. donacis emerging from plants in France, we opportunistically isolated the endophyte Apiospora arundinis, which lies at the origin of further research pertaining to its role in the feeding and oviposition of L. donacis.

Automated summary

The larvae of Lasioptera donacis feed on fungal communities in leaf sheaths of Arundo donax. The specific fungal composition of these communities is uncertain, but it is suggested that L. donacis may have a symbiotic relationship with one fungus. This study characterizes and compares the fungal communities associated with L. donacis in Eurasia and A. donax endophytes in Texas. The study finds a diverse assemblage of non-systemic endophytes in the communities, rather than an exclusive fungal symbiont.